159-year-old company embraces driverless trucks

15 Aug 2025 By foxnews

A bold new pilot program is bringing autonomous trucking to the heart of Texas. Steves & Sons, a sixth-generation American door maker, just partnered with autonomous freight startup Bot Auto and logistics giant J.B. Hunt.

The goal? Launch a real-world test of driverless freight deliveries between San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. That means robots are about to hit some of the country's busiest shipping lanes, with doors in tow.

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HAWLEY URGES DOJ PROBE OF CHINESE TRUCKING COMPANY

For over 150 years, Steves & Sons has delivered high-quality millwork to builders and homeowners. Now, it's making history again, this time by modernizing the supply chain. The pilot will use Bot Auto's driverless trucks to carry freight between manufacturing plants and customers. These are not fantasy test runs. These are real orders, real deliveries and real stakes. J.B. Hunt, which already manages logistics for Steves & Sons, will oversee how autonomous freight fits into their broader transportation system.

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More than 70% of U.S. freight moves by truck. Rising costs, driver shortages and tight delivery windows all add pressure. Bot Auto claims its technology can do more than keep up; it can outperform. Its Level 4 autonomy doesn't need a driver in the cab. That means longer hauls, fewer delays and potentially lower costs. The big takeaway? Autonomy is moving from hype to hardware.

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If you're in manufacturing, retail or logistics, this pilot is a sign of things to come. Autonomous trucking could soon reduce shipping costs, shrink delivery windows and reshape how supply chains are built. And for consumers? It might mean faster delivery of big-ticket items like doors, furniture or appliances. Steves & Sons is betting that smart logistics will make it even more competitive and more sustainable.

This move marks more than a tech test; it's a signal. Steves & Sons, J.B. Hunt and Bot Auto are rethinking what freight delivery can be. They're putting automation to work in a high-volume, real-world setting that could serve as a model nationwide. Autonomous trucking still has hurdles to clear, including regulation, safety and public trust. But this Texas pilot could be one of the first true benchmarks of commercial viability.

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