Fargo Conference Will Highlight Trends and Challenges, as Autonomous Trucking Shifts Into High Gear

Posted: Apr 12, 2026

A third Autonomous Trucking Conference in North Dakota is scheduled for June 24 in Fargo and will highlight the industry's shift from pilot projects to large-scale commercial deployments. The event will be hosted by the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) at North Dakota State University and funded in part by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

"This will be a pivotal year for autonomous truck deployments in North America, as companies seek new revenue-service operations that lead to established business partnerships and operations," said UGPTI Director Denver Tolliver. With the industry's shift to large-scale deployments, this year's conference will focus on interstate and multinational operations, multistate policy and regulator coordination, manufacturing and equipment trends, rapid expansion of middle-mile driverless freight operations, and growing adoption of leader-follower platooning. The event will also cover enhanced safety inspection and enforcement practices.

For more information and to register for the conference, visit the 2026 Autonomous Trucking Conference website. Some of the leading autonomous truck developers in the United States and Canada are expected to participate in the conference. In addition, the participant list will include representatives from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, state departments of transportation, state law enforcement agencies, original equipment manufacturers, and autonomous trucking industry partners.

Panel sessions are expected to include:

• Autonomous Trucking in Canada and the United States. Autonomous trucking in Canada is moving from small-scale pilots to commercial deployment, driven largely by partnerships between retailers and autonomous freight technology firms, while Ontario's Automated Commercial Motor Vehicle Pilot Program provides a uniform regulatory foundation. This panel will explore commonalities and differences in autonomous trucking between the U.S. and Canada and prospects for cross-border autonomous truck movements in the future.
• Multistate Operations/Coordination. While intrastate autonomous truck operations are gaining momentum in the United States, interstate operations are necessary for expansion of long-haul hub-to-hub traffic. State DOT officials will discuss potential options for multistate compacts on autonomous trucking that facilitate interstate operations. The discussion will include challenges that need to be overcome, state-specific issues, information exchange, and common policies and regulations.
• Equipment Manufacturers' Plans for Producing New Autonomous Trucks. Most autonomous trucking companies are working with and/or have long-term partnership agreements with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Fully autonomous trucks will soon be available for purchase from OEMs, potentially leading to widespread commercial adoption. Panelists will explore prospects for increased supplies of autonomous trucks resulting from collaborations between OEMs and autonomous truck developers, and the integration of autonomous trucks into product lines and fleets.
• Inspection and Safety Enforcement. Enhanced safety inspections for autonomous trucks ensure that these driverless vehicles meet regulatory requirements, operate safely, and are integrated safely into the existing freight network. A panel of safety experts will describe developments in safety enforcement and enhanced inspections in the United States and Canada, as well as integrated strategies for truck safety and weight enforcement.
• Middle/Last Mile Operations. Middle mile autonomous trucking, which typically involves hub-to-hub, warehouse-to-store, or distribution center-to-distribution center routes, has become the most commercially mature segment of the U.S. autonomous freight industry. Several companies are extensively operating driverless trucks, especially in states with favorable regulatory environments. Panelists from autonomous trucking companies and some of the companies they are hauling freight for will discuss developments and opportunities for growth.
• Platooning. Platooning in highly-automated mode is increasingly being utilized in agricultural and natural resources industries. For example, leader-follower platoons are being demonstrated in the Ohio/Indiana I-70 Corridor, moving agricultural goods in the Northern Plains, and transporting forestry products in Canada. Some of these operations are occurring under challenging conditions such as steep grades, low GPS connectivity, dust, and harsh weather. Panelists will review current platooning operations in North America, advances in platooning technology, the potential for new platooning operations, and impediments to widespread deployment.
• Growth in Level 4 Autonomous Trucking. In the closing session, autonomous truck companies will discuss their visions for business growth and new deployment opportunities, as well as remaining challenges and obstacles to growth.