Uber's Self-Driving Semi Truck Delivers Beer

(RTTNews) - Uber's self-driving technology start-up Otto has partnered with Anheuser-Busch InBev (AHBIF.PK, BUD) to complete the world's first shipment by a self-driving truck.

Otto said in a blog post that the company and Anheuser-Busch delivered 51,744 cans of Budweiser beer from Fort Collins, through downtown Denver, to Colorado Springs.

Otto used cameras, radar and light detection and ranging or lidar sensors mounted on the vehicle to "see" the road and control the acceleration, braking and steering of the truck without human intervention.

For the entire 120-mile journey down I-25, the truck's driver was out of his seat and monitored the self-driving system from the sleeper berth in the back. The massive 53-foot trailer was filled with 2,000 cases of beer cans.

Otto's technology is at present confined to highways and humans will take over while driving the trucks in city traffic. However, Otto-equipped vehicles will provide truck drivers with the opportunity to rest during long stretches of highway.

Otto was founded in January 2016 by Lior Ron and Anthony Levandowski, who is a former Google employee. The company retrofits semi-trucks with radars, cameras and laser sensors to make them capable of driving themselves. Otto was acquired by Uber for $670 million in August 2016.