Aurora Innovation, Inc., the leader in self-driving freight, announced Dec. 8 a commercial agreement with Detmar Logistics, a leading provider in dry bulk and frac sand logistics solutions, to autonomously transport proppants around the clock for one of the world’s largest multinational oil and gas companies.
The deployment marks the first time frac sand will be hauled autonomously on public roads and highways in the Permian Basin. It also establishes one of Aurora’s initial routes between customer sites—a key milestone as the company expands its network beyond terminal-to-terminal operations next year.
“Launching autonomous highway operations for Detmar is a great example of how we’re delivering immediate customer value,” said Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO at Aurora. “With the Aurora Driver, Detmar can achieve nearly 24/7 asset utilization and effectively double its capacity to move sand for a leading energy producer.”
Expanding Endpoint Routes in 2026
Supervised autonomous operations between Detmar’s facility in Midland, Texas, and Capital Sand’s mining site in Monahans will begin early next year. Once Aurora deploys its second fleet of driverless trucks, expected in Q2 2026, trips for Detmar will transition to driverless operations without anyone onboard.
The route combines high-speed driving on Interstate 20 with local and private roads surrounding Detmar’s facility and the mining site. Notably, Aurora is delivering advanced capabilities at the mining site, including autonomously navigating overhead filling silos for proppant loading.
Bringing Safety and Efficiency to the Permian Basin
The Aurora Driver is built with superhuman capabilities—it can operate longer than human drivers, never gets drowsy, and vigilantly monitors 360 degrees around the truck. Enhancing road safety is particularly critical in the Permian Basin, which experiences a higher rate of severe and fatal crashes than the rest of Texas.
Under the initial contract, Detmar commits to using 30 Aurora Driver-powered trucks in 2026, with each unit hauling sand for over 20 hours a day. This will unlock a level of asset utilization that enables Detmar to significantly grow its business with key customers. Alongside their human operated fleet and network of valued independent contractors, Detmar also plans to own and operate an expanded fleet of Aurora Driver-powered trucks in the future as the technology is adopted and broadly deployed.
“As simul-fracs demand higher sand volumes and operators move to 24/7 schedules, maintaining a safe, reliable flow of proppant is critical,” said Matt Detmar, CEO of Detmar Logistics. “Aurora’s autonomous technology is a game changer for our industry. It will enable us to safely improve efficiency and support our customers’ continuous operations. We expect autonomous trucks to become a competitive advantage to strengthen and grow our business in the years to come.”
About Aurora
Aurora is delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly to make transportation safer, increasingly accessible, and more reliable and efficient than ever before. The Aurora Driver is a self-driving system designed to operate multiple vehicle types, from freight-hauling trucks to ride-hailing passenger vehicles, and underpins Aurora’s driver as a service products for trucking and ride-hailing. Aurora is working with industry leaders across the transportation ecosystem, including AUMOVIO, FedEx, Hirschbach, NVIDIA, PACCAR, Ryder, Schneider, Toyota, Uber, Uber Freight, Volvo Trucks, Volvo Autonomous Solutions, and Werner. To learn more, visit aurora.tech.
About Detmar
Detmar Logistics is a transportation company that specializes in frac sand last mile logistics. Detmar Logistics’ mission is to be a leader in the utilization of sustainable fuel and electrification technology in the trucking and logistics industry. Headquartered in San Antonio, TX, Detmar Logistics operates cutting edge technology and equipment to provide their customers with an efficient, environmental approach to transportation and logistics.
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