Aurora announced Thursday it has partnered with McLeod Software to develop the industry’s first integration between autonomous trucks and a mainstream transportation management system. The partnership aims to streamline autonomous vehicle adoption for carriers through software integrations. The integration connects Aurora’s app directly with McLeod’s TMS platform, allowing carriers to manage autonomous trucks alongside their traditional fleets.
The integration will support fleet management functions, including load scheduling, dispatch, visibility and invoicing. One goal is to create a seamless operational experience for carriers adopting autonomous technology.
“We want this to be plug-and-play for customers. They’re going to get this truck that drives itself and we want the way that they use that to reflect the way that they operate trucks in their network today,” said Zac Andreoni, vice president of business development at Aurora, in an interview with FreightWaves. “So we want to meet our customers where they are.”
While Aurora has partnered with some of the largest carriers in the industry, this integration specifically targets midsized fleets that typically rely on McLeod’s TMS. These carriers, operating between 100 and 1,000 trucks, represent a significant market segment that has previously faced barriers to autonomous technology adoption.
“For McLeod, this allows them to be on the cutting edge and to help their carriers adopt this new technology, should they choose,” Andreoni said. “For us, McLeod is a company with well over 1,000 customers. It’s a great way for us to be able to sort of co-market, or use them as a sales channel.”
The integration addresses operational challenges unique to autonomous trucking networks, such as managing terminal-to-terminal movements and coordinating first-mile and last-mile connections with human drivers. It also provides carriers with financial visibility tools to calculate and compare costs between autonomous and traditional trucking operations effectively.
“Integrating Aurora’s autonomous capabilities into our TMS platform provides our customers with a pathway to adopt autonomous tractors within their operations,” said Tom McLeod, founder and CEO of McLeod Software, in a press release. “This collaboration underscores our dedication to providing cutting-edge technology for our customers, empowering them to optimize their operations and embrace innovation with confidence.”
Aurora will showcase the integration at the McLeod user conference from Sept. 21-23, where interested carriers can learn more about implementing the technology within their existing operations.
