The US Postal Service said Tuesday it would begin its first tests of self-driving trucks to deliver mail between two distribution centers in the southwest. The two-week project is being launched with California startup TuSimple, which will haul postal trailers between centers in Dallas, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona.
"This pilot is just one of many ways the Postal Service is innovating and investing in its future," the postal service said in a statement.
"We are conducting research and testing as part of our efforts to operate a future class of vehicles which will incorporate new technology to accommodate a diverse mail mix, enhance safety, improve service, reduce emissions, and produce operational savings."
USPS will be working with TuSimple, which was founded in 2015 and has been developing artificial intelligence and computer vision with a stated "perception range" of 1,000 meters (3,200 feet) to allow up to 35 seconds of reaction time at highway speeds.
"It is exciting to think that before many people will ride in a robo-taxi, their mail and packages may be carried in a self-driving truck," said Xiaodi Hou, founder and president of TuSimple. "Performing for the USPS on this pilot in this particular commercial corridor gives us specific use cases to help us validate our system, and expedite the technological development and commercialization progress."
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