A long-distance test run using a driverless truck cab in Arizona went without a hitch on Dec. 22 to complete the world’s first live demonstration of a fully automated long-haul vehicle on open roads. TuSimple Holdings announced on Dec. 29 that it had successfully completed the 80-mile test drive using a specially updated Class 8 semi-truck without a human in the vehicle. “By achieving this momentous technical milestone, we demonstrated the advanced capabilities of TuSimple’s autonomous driving system and the commercial maturity of our testing process, prioritizing safety and collaboration every step of the way,” said Cheng Lu, president and CEO of TuSimple, an autonomous driving technology company based in San Diego. Lu said the test “reinforces what we believe is our unique position at the forefront of autonomous trucking, delivering advanced driving technology at commercial scale. “This year [2021], we were laser-focused on putting our technology through a rigorous …