Autonomous freight, real-world impact: On the road with Volvo and Uber Freight

Since 2023, Uber Freight has been a key partner for Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.), united by a shared vision to transform the movement of goods through autonomous technology. Today, this collaboration is moving beyond the planning stage and delivering tangible results.

The Volvo VNL Autonomous—a truck purpose-built for autonomy with redundancies for safety critical systems and integrated with the Aurora Driver—is now operating on Texas roads, delivering loads for Uber Freight customers between Dallas and Houston. This progress demonstrates that autonomous logistics is no longer a vision of the future.

Engineering the ecosystem for autonomous trucking

This progress is enabled by seamless integration with Uber Freight’s platform, which facilitates secure, real-time data exchange via both EDI and modern APIs. This digital backbone ensures that orders, tracking updates, and status notifications are transmitted instantly, providing transparency and accuracy from pickup to delivery.

While advancements in connectivity and digital experience are critical, they represent just one part of the autonomous transport puzzle. Achieving true autonomy also requires trucks engineered for safety and reliability, as well as a robust ecosystem that unites vehicles, infrastructure, and operational support.

“Bringing safe, reliable autonomous trucks from the factory floor to the highway marks a major milestone for our industry. However, making autonomous transport a viable option requires more than just building trucks—it demands a robust, comprehensive ecosystem to ensure reliable operations,” says Sasko Cuklev, Head of On-Road Solutions at V.A.S.

“At V.A.S., our ecosystem approach includes uptime support through Volvo’s dealer network, operations, terminals, and other critical components. Our focus is not on a single pilot, but on building a scalable foundation for the future of logistics. Partnering with Uber Freight, whose digital network and operational expertise aligns perfectly with our approach, will help us scale this ecosystem and deliver measurable value to our customers,” he adds.

"Building a scalable ecosystem for autonomous trucking takes more than just advanced vehicles—it requires deep collaboration, robust digital infrastructure, and trusted partners. Autonomy isn’t just about trucks driving themselves—it’s about building an ecosystem where shippers, carriers, and technology providers work in sync. Our work with V.A.S. goes beyond innovation in the cab. By integrating our platforms and forging true operational alignment, we’re enabling shippers and carriers to realize the real-world benefits of autonomy for the long haul,” says Olivia Hu, Head of Autonomous Trucking at Uber Freight.

Digital integrations: Enabling industry progress 
 

As the autonomous transport ecosystem evolves, seamless digital integration between partners will be key to unlocking operational efficiency and driving industry progress. The collaboration between V.A.S. and Uber Freight demonstrates how tailored integrations can deliver real, measurable impact by removing traditional bottlenecks, lowering operating costs, and improving transparency across the supply chain.

By automating manual processes and streamlining communication, these digital connections also create the foundation for a smarter, more agile logistics network. Through early access to autonomous trucks and opportunities to test, learn, and optimize freight movement, the partnership between V.A.S. and Uber Freight enables shippers to engage directly with emerging technologies — and to play an active role in shaping the future of freight transportation.