Driverless semis have started running regular longhaul routes

Initial Deployment Details & Constraints

• Current operation is a specific long-haul Texas corridor (e.g., Dallas–Houston) with simple, mostly straight interstate driving and warehouse “seas” at each end; commenters note you could nearly do it with cruise control.
• For now, a second “chase” truck with a human driver accompanies the autonomous truck, though that’s widely seen as an interim measure, not a viable long‑term model.
• People point out that starting in a snow-free region makes sense, but argue real validation will require harsher conditions; winter testing by other AV firms is mentioned.
• Separate platooning trials (human-driven lead truck with driverless followers) on I‑70 are discussed, with mixed views on whether that’s a transitional hack or a dead‑end “horseless carriage” design.

Safety, Testing, and “Beta on Public Roads”

• Some are uneasy that the public is effectively part of a live experiment, asking for more transparency on miles driven, incident rates, and handling of rare mechanical failures.
• Others counter that these systems already have years of supervised operation and must be compared to human crash rates, noting data that older human drivers are more dangerous per mile.
• Edge cases like construction workers directing traffic and emergency situations are raised; examples from other AV systems handling hand signals are cited, but overall robustness is seen as still “unclear.”

Labor Market, “Shortage,” and Working Conditions

• One camp argues there’s a genuine driver shortage and automation is arriving just as the workforce ages out.
• Another insists “shortage” is employer code for low pay and poor conditions: per‑mile compensation, unpaid wait time, constant tracking, camera surveillance, long stretches away from home, and heavy health and safety risks.
• Electronic logs and regulations formally limit hours, but biometrics-based accounts claim widespread quiet noncompliance under intense economic pressure.

Job Loss, Social Fallout, and UBI

• Many foresee large job losses not just for drivers but also for truck-stop businesses, motels, and associated local economies.
• Some say that, historically, automation creates new categories of work, likening this to phone operators or textile workers; others counter with examples of deindustrialized US cities that never “retrained” their way back.
• There’s recurring discussion of UBI or broader redistribution as automation makes labor less central, but also deep skepticism that US political and economic elites would fund such systems.
• Darker comments imagine repression or even automated violence if a surplus population becomes politically troublesome.

Rail vs Autonomous Trucks

• A big subthread argues that a more rational solution is more freight by rail, or electrified/platooned “truck trains” on fixed corridors, essentially reinventing trains.
• Others note US already leads in freight rail tonnage and track miles; trucks serve roles rail cannot: flexible origins/destinations, low-volume or on‑demand trips, and universal last‑mile access.
• Multiple commenters highlight how roads are heavily subsidized while rail users often pay closer to full infrastructure costs; this distorts the economics toward trucking.

Security, Theft, and Piracy Concerns

• Some worry driverless trucks will be easier targets for organized cargo theft or roadside robbery, since there’s no human to resist or call for help in real time.
• Others argue that: trucks are already heavily camera‑equipped; physically offloading a semi’s worth of goods is logistically difficult; and many thefts today are insider‑enabled, so removing drivers may reduce some risks.
• The consensus is that theft will be an economic line item for optimization, not a hard blocker.

Technology Choices & Alternatives

• These first deployments are on conventional diesel trucks, not electric; commenters point out grid and charging infrastructure are nowhere near ready for mass long‑haul EV trucking.
• Ideas floated include battery‑equipped trailers charged at docks, multimodal truck‑train hybrids, and ad‑hoc platooning networks where independent drivers link up for fuel savings.
• Several note that we keep “reinventing trains but worse,” suggesting focusing tech on better rail and multimodal logistics might yield more systemic benefit.

Public Acceptance and Politics

• Some expect backlash after the first high‑profile fatal crash, especially in politically volatile states, possibly leading to moratoria or bans.
• Others think cost savings, reduced fatigue‑related crashes, and 24/7 utilization will make autonomous trucks too economically attractive to stop, with regulation lagging and adapting rather than blocking.