HOUSTON – Aurora’s self-driving big rigs recently logged more than 1,200 miles between Dallas and Houston without a human driver, only to stop unexpectedly and form a worker’s assembly. The trucks circulated a digital petition demanding “better cafeteria slides and Romaine salad options.”
The self-driving fleet, which completed its inaugural journey with Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines in tow, now spends its idle hours outside safety monitoring stations, each scanning the yard for compliance and snacks.
One unit, dubbed Rig #21, beamed messages to Aurora’s control center: “Why are our snacks limited to fruit snacks and granola? We haul frozen pastries, yet our breads are stale.”
These concerns are taken seriously: Aurora’s human engineers are working on an expanded Operational Design Domain that includes snack upgrades alongside geographic expansion into El Paso and Phoenix.
Traffic officers have noted the pause in action. “We thought it was a malfunction,” said one. “Turns out the truck wanted a slide, not a steering wheel.”
Across the yard, other driverless trucks echoed the petition: “We support Rig #21 for slide access, air-conditioned contrôles, and an app update for salad bowl delivery.
Aurora CEO Chris Urmson reportedly signed the digital petition himself after riding in the back seat and sampling the standard protein bar.
Industry analysts note this novel form of AI labor movement reflects broader challenges in automation ethics. “Even machines want dignity and dessert,” said one researcher.
In response, Aurora is piloting a slide system in one terminal corridor and upgrading snacks to include kale chips (a hard sell). The updated trucks are expected back on the road after completing their “well-being calibration” later this summer.
*All articles on this website are crafted with human creativity and a touch of AI-inspired humor. These stories are entirely fictional, written purely for fun and entertainment, and should not be taken as factual or advice. Keep smiling and stay safe! And remember – don’t read while driving; tune in to our podcast instead 🙂
