4 Self-Driving Semi-Truck Stocks for Investors

Less than four months ago, we did a deep dive into the first pure play in self-driving semi-truck stocks with a profile on TuSimple (TSP). We found the business to be intriguing but opted to sit on the sidelines for now until the company puts more miles on the road and money into its bank account. We’re bullish on the self-driving theme in general – the technology is there – but it’s going to be a long haul to gain regulatory approvals, mainstream adoption, and profitability. That’s not stopping the race to the public markets. Two more self-driving semi-truck startups are headed in that direction through reverse mergers with special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs): Embark Trucks and Plus. Is either one worth putting on our watchlist?

The Business Case for Self-Driving Semi-Trucks

In our profile on TuSimple, we outlined some of the practical advantages and economic incentives accelerating the development and commercialization of self-driving semi-trucks. In sum: Most freight miles (nearly 80%) are on major highways, which are less complicated for autonomous driving systems to navigate. Labor accounts for more than 40% of total per mile semi-truck operating costs – if you can fin