The Status of Self-Driving Semis in 2025 -

David W. Craig | April 9, 2025 | After the Crash

It may seem futuristic, but it’s happening: Semi-trucks are driving themselves.

Eight months ago, we asked, “What happens when there’s no one behind the wheel?” Autonomous trucking has been a hot topic for a while, and now it has become a reality.

Back in August, readers left comments on our post about self-driving trucks.

“Driverless vehicles of any kind ARE NOT safe,” one commenter wrote. “I do not feel safe on the highway with them!”

A tech developer and trucking company have teamed up to put autonomous trucking to the test, and they say it’s been successful. So, are driverless semis safe? As truck-wreck attorneys, we’re not so sure.

Pros and cons of driverless semis

It’s no secret that humans make mistakes while driving. Sometimes, we even choose to drive unsafely.

In 2022, drunk driving crashes killed 13,524 people in the United States. Distracted drivers cause more than 3,000 deaths each year. Every day, crashes occur when drivers run red lights, change lanes without a turn signal, and doze off behind the wheel.

Those in favor of driverless, or autonomous, trucks claim that this technology will make our roadways safer. After all, many drivers of 18-wheelers and other heavy trucks are guilty of driving while drowsy, impaired or distracted.

However, developing this technology hasn’t been easy. Many companies have dropped out of the race, unable to find a formula that works. For a commercial motor vehicle to operate safely without a driver, it must be able to:

Sense upcoming lane blockages
Activate turn signals and merge into other lanes
Avoid striking obstacles, objects or pedestrians in the roadway
Adjust speed as needed, depending on limits and road conditions
Pull off the road and call for assistance if it malfunctions

These are only a few of the functions a big rig must be able to complete if it is to drive without a human on board. Truckers often criticize passenger vehicle drivers for braking suddenly or swerving between lanes. A successful driverless semi would have to sense these dangers and act almost immediately.

The president and CEO of Texas Trucking Association, John Esparza, praised the potential of self-driving trucks, writing: “Built to have driving capabilities exceeding human limitations, they can see in the dark, drive nonstop day and night, and always monitor nearly 360 degrees of their surroundings.”

Texas takes autonomous trucking for a spin

In July 2024, Kodiak Robotics, an autonomous-tech company, partnered with oilfield logistics company Atlas Energy Solutions. Their goal was to use driverless trucks to transport frac sand between sites.

In the time since then, they have run tests with human safety drivers. As of January 2025, Kodiak has officially “handed off” two self-driving trucks to Atlas.

With these two “RoboTrucks” (semi-trucks using Kodiak’s technology) Atlas has successfully delivered more than 100 loads of sand without a human driver — marking the first time a customer-owned, autonomous truck has been used in commercial operations.

The trucks are being used along a remote 21-mile route through the Permian Basin in Texas. Driverless trucks are being used in operations, but they haven’t yet been launched on highways or major roads.

Legislation focused on self-driving vehicles

Though self-driving vehicles have been in the works for several years, there is little federal regulation addressing them.

In Texas, one law was passed in 2017 to allow driverless vehicles. Senate Bill 2205 explicitly permits driverless vehicles to operate in Texas and sets guidelines. Autonomous cars and trucks must be:

Capable of operating in compliance with Texas traffic and motor vehicle laws
Equipped with a recording device
Equipped with an automated driving system in compliance with applicable federal law and federal motor vehicle safety standards
Registered and titled in accordance with Texas laws
Covered by motor vehicle liability coverage or self-insurance equal to the state’s required coverage

The new frontier of autonomous trucking

Other companies have been experimenting with autonomous trucking. Aurora Innovation is one. This company plans to launch its “driverless trucking service” this April in Texas.

As more tech manufacturers try to enter the driverless-trucking race, it becomes evident that this is uncharted territory.

Aurora is suing the U.S Department of Transportation over an FMCSA decision regarding autonomous trucking. This began in December 2024, when the FMCSA denied Aurora’s petition to adjust semi-trucks’ roadside protocol.

Current FMCSA rules (established in 1972) say that, when truckers pull their rigs off the road shoulder for any reason, they must place reflective triangles or flares on the road. This is intended to alert other vehicles and prevent crashes.

However, as Aurora and another company pointed out, a driverless semi-truck cannot place reflective devices on the surrounding roadway. Their petition asked if self-driving commercial vehicles could instead use “cab-mounted warning beacons,” like the flashing lights installed on highway construction vehicles.

This is just one example of the changing landscape of trucking. But, as several companies pursue driverless operations, federal transportation agencies will have to alter the rules or create new ones.

Are semis safer without human drivers?

Many rules that govern semis and other heavy trucks are directed toward their drivers. Drivers must use “extreme caution” in bad weather, set out flares and lights if pulled over, inspect and prepare their rigs for different weather conditions, anticipate others’ recklessness, and more.

Some worry that this duty cannot be replicated by a machine. On the other hand, autonomous trucking can mitigate drunk, drowsy and distracted driving.

Technology for these vehicles has been in the works for several years. Kodiak’s autonomous semis are equipped with 12 cameras, several radar and LiDAR units, and microphones to hear sirens.

But even advanced technology is vulnerable. It could glitch or be hacked. Establishing fault if a wreck occurs may be more difficult. These systems are expensive, and many professional truckers fear they’ll lose their jobs if entire fleets go driverless.

What to do if you’re in a wreck with a tractor-trailer

Driverless or not, commercial trucks are huge, often dangerous, vehicles. Wrecks involving these heavy trucks are more catastrophic than wrecks between two cars. In many cases, they end in serious injury or death.

If you have lost a loved one or suffered severe injuries from a semi-truck wreck, you must hire an attorney as soon as possible. Truck-wreck lawyers at Craig, Kelley & Faultless represent victims in several states: Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa and Tennessee.

David W. Craig sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families, written to help people navigate a terrible situation by answering questions that come after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow Indiana law safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.

The Status of Self-Driving Semis in 2025