NVIDIA Platform Supports USPS, TuSimple Demo of Autonomous Mail Delivery Trucks

NVIDIA’s driver-assistance software has enabled the U.S. Postal Service and San Diego-based startup firm TuSimple to conclude a two-week demonstration of autonomous trucks built to deliver letters and packages, Fedscoop reported Monday.

With two passengers on board, TuSimple’s long-haul trucks conducted five 2.2K mile-trips in Dallas and Phoenix to test the vehicles’ capacity to deliver mail from one point to another.

Danny Shapiro, senior director of automotive at NVIDIA, was satisfied with the results of the uneventful trial run.

“The best pilot run is boring,” said Shapiro. “Nothing happens. We don’t want anything to happen.”

The demonstration is a part of the agency's efforts to deploy vehicles that will potentially mitigate emissions and optimize safety features. In addition, USPS’ Office of the Inspector General noted in 2017 that autonomous mail delivery may help grow labor productivity and save costs.

OIG added that it expects autonomous vehicles to become available within the next decade.