Paving the Way for an Autonomous Future
Headquartered in San Antonio, Steves & Sons has been making doors for 159 years. In 2019, the company struck a deal with J.B. Hunt, one of the largest for-hire carriers in the country, to take care of its deliveries and transportation. It has since begun to test Bot Auto self-driving trucks on its routes.
Unlike many of its contemporaries, which tend to partner with specific truck manufacturers, Bot Auto operates a Technology-as-a-Service business model. It offers Level 4 autonomous vehicles, which do not require human interaction in most instance, but can be manually overridden by a driver when required.
As per the new partnership, the involved parties plan to pilot Freightliner trucks, which have been retrofitted with Bot Auto autonomous technology, on roads between San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston. It is hoped that the program will allow the companies to streamline transfers, and improve logistical planning and execution.
