Uber is best known for their ride-hailing service, but the company also operates a trucking service known as Uber Freight. Now their freight branch has announced the launch of their self-driving trucks.

This is the result of Uber's acquisition of startup Otto, which sent a self-driving semi on its maiden voyage across 120 miles of Colorado freeway in 2016. Right now they still have a man behind the wheel in case something goes wrong, but they're looking to have them running entirely driver-free in time. They have also devised a plan so that no drivers are put out of work from the change, either.



Here's how it works.

Uber will have transfer hubs outside of town. If cargo needs transferred long distances then it's left at these hubs. Self-driving trucks will take the cargo and transport it to the transfer hub of the town it needs to go to. Human drivers will drop off long-distance cargo, grab the received cargo, and deliver it in-town. This way the self-driving cars are handling the long trips and the human drivers can be dedicated to local deliveries. no lost jobs, and fewer overnighters, which is a common health problem for the profession

This is a good step ahead of the game. Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler has shown interest in self-driving trucks, as is Tesla with its battery-electric Semi.