Nikola says it will add PlusDrive Level 2 automation to its Nikola Tre battery-electric and hydrogen-electric trucks, becoming the first U.S. truck manufacturer to do so.

The factory-installed PlusDrive capabilities will be available in 2024 and the system will be piloted by Christenson Transportation and other fleets.

“The enhanced driver assistance features are yet another differentiator of Nikola’s premium driver experience for our customers,” said Michael Lohscheller, president and CEO, Nikola Corporation. “We are one of the first OEMs to offer 100% electric steering paired with the ZF EBS braking system. This base technology in all our vehicles, combined with Nikola’s own internally developed vehicle controls, over-the-air updates and vehicle security can enable the integration of these advanced sensors and the realization of the PlusDrive safety system from Plus.”

PlusDrive offers driver assistance features including lane keeping, automatic braking, lane changes, merges, stop-and-go traffic, and nudging. The driver must continue to manage the system. Nikola said the system will also predict the optimal and safest speed and take advantage of regenerative braking.

“We are proud to support a zero-emission future and provide the underlying safety system behind Nikola’s enhanced driver assistance features. The proven commercial readiness of our highly automated solution PlusDrive accelerates the deployment for our partners and sets a new bar for safety and sustainability for the trucking industry,” said David Liu, CEO and co-founder, Plus.