What task do Uber's automated commercial trucks require a human driver to perform?

• A. Refuel the vehicle
• B. Handle off-highway driving
• C. Load cargo manual handling
• D. Navigate city streets

Answer: (B)

Autonomy in trucks is typically tuned for highway cruising, with a safety driver ready to take over when the vehicle leaves that familiar domain. The task that requires a human to handle is off-highway driving—situations where the vehicle must operate on non-highway roads, private lanes, loading yards, or other environments the system isn’t trained to navigate autonomously. In these contexts, a human can supervise and intervene to manage complex maneuvers, edge cases, or unusual road conditions.

Refueling isn’t a driving action the automation performs, and cargo loading is a manual handling task rather than driving. Navigating city streets is also a difficult area for highway-focused autonomy, but the specific gap that necessitates human control in typical autonomous-truck setups is the off-highway segment from highway operation into non-standard driving environments.