PORTLAND, Ore. – Locomation has revealed it has successfully completed its first on-road pilot program with Wilson Logistics to demonstrate its autonomous trucking technology.

The Autonomous Relay Convoy (ARC) ran on a 420-mile long route from Portland, Ore., to Nampa, Idaho, along I-84. One driver piloted the lead truck while the following truck was autonomously driven. The idea is to allow the driver in the following truck to log off and rest, though during the pilot a driver and engineer oversaw the system in the both trucks.

“The successful kickoff of this commercial agreement with Wilson Logistics is a significant milestone for our teams,” said Dr. Cetin Mericli, CEO and co-founder of Locomation. “Despite the threat of Covid-19, we delivered real world results for the most advanced, efficient, and safest solution to make commercial autonomous trucking a reality. Most importantly, the pilot strongly proved that our autonomous technology can be integrated seamlessly and deployed within a real trucking operation in a sustained fashion.”

The pilot lasted eight days and covered 3,400 miles, operating in autonomous mode roughly half the time while delivering 14 commercial loads, the company says.

Locomation says its technology can provide about a 30% reduction in operating costs pre mile, including an 8% reduction in fuel consumption.

As part of its partnership with Wilson Logistics, Locomation will operate more than 124 ARC-equipped tractors in two-truck convoys through the U.S., while the second phase in the agreement anticipates the delivery of more than 1,000 two-truck convoys representing more than 2,000 ARC-equipped trucks.