International, PlusAI Launch Autonomous Trials in Texas
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are launching customer fleet trials of autonomous trucks using the second generation of the PlusAI system, International announced.
Operating along the Interstate 35 corridor between Laredo and Dallas, Texas, the pilot program will include selected fleet partners and will be managed from International’s autonomous hub in San Antonio. The trucks are equipped with the latest version of PlusAI’s SuperDrive platform, which features an updated computer and sensor suite that comes factory installed on International LT Series trucks powered by the company’s S13 integrated powertrain.
Developed with real-world driving data, SuperDrive is built on AI models that make it adaptable to new routes, geographies and driving conditions. The multimodal sensor kit combines imaging radar, lidar and cameras placed around the vehicle that afford 360-degree vision around the tractor-trailer combination.
“By working hand in hand with our customers, we are proving the commercial viability of autonomous technologies and providing innovative solutions that improve safety, efficiency and the bottom line,” said International Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Tobias Glitterstam.
Autonomous Business Development Director James Cooper added, “Deep customer collaboration is essential to understanding how autonomous systems can optimize freight routes, enhance safety, and lower operating costs. This shared learning will guide the road map for scaling autonomy across major freight hubs, beginning with key corridors like I-35.”
International said the collaborative effort “builds on a shared commitment to creating hardware and software solutions that are both technologically advanced and commercially viable for hub-to-hub operations. The customer fleet trials represent a crucial opportunity to incorporate feedback and refine the autonomous solution.”
It added, “As the transportation industry continues to move toward an autonomous and connected future, International and its partners are laying the foundation for scalable logistics operations. By aligning innovation with customer needs, the company aims to enable safer, more efficient, and economically sustainable road freight.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a solid quarter of truck sales for International; during Q2, the manufacturer reported an 11.3% gain in sales, helping to lift operating profit and margins for the North American division of Traton Group. Lisle, Ill.-based International sold 14,628 trucks in the quarter, compared with 13,143 trucks a year earlier.
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However, those sales gains were weighed against weak year-ago levels, and arrived as order activity for new trucks slowed compared with Q2 2024 levels, the company said in a July earnings release.
That weakness — which is being felt by all truck manufacturers — compelled Traton to trim its full-year outlook for North American Classes 6-8 truck sales, inclusive of sales across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The company now forecasts a drop of between 7.5% and 17.5% year over year for its North American Classes 6-8 truck sales, with Class 8 sales expected to come in at 275,000. The company’s previous 2025 estimate was for Classes 6-8 North American sales to remain flat or at worst fall 10%.
