Next-Gen Trucking Gains Speed: Analysts Hit the Gas on These 2 Autonomous Trucking Stocks

We are still in the early stages of seeing how AI will transform the world, with some developments once confined to science fiction now becoming reality. Among the most compelling applications is the rise of autonomous vehicles where AI is being integrated into the logistics backbone of modern economies. Self-driving taxis and freight haulers are already being tested on public roads, and their broader adoption appears increasingly inevitable.Meet Your ETF AI Analyst Discover how TipRanks' ETF AI Analyst can help you make smarter investment decisions Explore ETFs TipRanks' users love and see what insights the ETF AI Analyst reveals about the ones you follow. This shift holds particular significance for the U.S. trucking industry. According to the American Trucking Associations, nearly 15 million trucks transported about 72.7% of the nation’s freight last year, generating roughly $906 billion in revenue. In North America alone, the autonomous trucking market is projected to reach $65.4 billion within a decade. Transitioning this massive industry to an AI-driven, autonomous model could reshape it entirely. Self-driving trucks could operate longer hours, boost fuel efficiency, and reduce costs, while eliminating human fatigue as a safety risk – potentially making highways safer overall. Every aspect of the sector, from fleet management to payroll systems, will need to evolve. Given these transformative prospects, it’s little wonder that Wall Street’s analysts are becoming increasingly optimistic about autonomous trucking stocks. Using the TipRanks database, we’ll take a closer look at two of their favored picks. Aurora Innovation (AUR) We’ll start by looking at Aurora Innovation, an AI tech firm devoted to autonomous vehicle solutions – and with a special focus on the freight industry. The company has created the Aurora Driver, an AI-powered autonomous driving system that was designed from the ground up to fit all types of vehicles. The company has chosen to put it on the road in the trucking industry, and Aurora currently has its system installed and delivering customer loads in Texas. The autonomous truck system was launched on a Dallas–Houston route in April of this year, and on October 28 it announced the opening of a second route, running from Dallas to El Paso. In the same announcement, Aurora also said that it had surpassed 100,000 driverless truck miles on the open road. The company is running five driverless trucks and so far boasts a perfect safety record. Aurora has also released specifications for the next generation of its hardware package, designed to improve the performance and durability of the autonomous trucks while significantly reducing costs. The improvements include increased reliability of the system, aimed at a 1 million-mile lifespan; an extended range for the FirstLight LiDAR sensing system to 1,000 meters; and improvements in sensor cleaning for better all-weather operations. Aurora aims to deploy the new hardware by 2027. What all of this means is that Aurora, a new company that has only been in business since 2017, has already staked out a leading position in the autonomous trucking niche. We should note, however, that like many early-stage, cutting-edge technology ventures, Aurora is still very much a speculative enterprise. The company runs at a net loss and has only been realizing positive revenues since the second quarter of this year. That said, there are positive signs for the future. The company has plans to expand the Dallas–El Paso route further west, to Phoenix, Arizona, and to improve its nighttime driverless operations. During 3Q25, Aurora generated $1 million in revenue and hauled commercial loads for several companies, including FedEx, Schneider, and Volvo Autonomous Solutions. Aurora’s continued steps toward full driverless freight service attracted the attention of Oppenheimer’s Colin Rusch, who writes of the company, “AUR continues to execute well on validating incremental capabilities and expanding its commercial routes. Notably in the third quarter the platform substantiated dust management supporting its expansion into Fort Worth/El Paso routes ahead of schedule. At the same time, AUR is executing on commercializing Gen 2 hardware, has started upfitting international trucks, and qualified additional trailer types including single super tires. While revenue remains modest, we believe customers are moving quickly towards larger-scale adoption, with driver response to the technology the biggest concern for fleet operators… While shares have underperformed Physical AI peers YTD, we remain constructive on technology progress.” Rusch, who is rated by TipRanks among the top 1% of Wall Street’s analysts, sets an Outperform (Buy) rating on AUR shares, and his $15 price target implies a hefty one-year upside potential of 255%. (To watch Rusch’s track record, click here) Overall, Aurora has earned a Moderate Buy consensus rating from the Street, based on 7 reviews that include 5 Buys and 2 Holds. The shares are currently trading for a price of $4.23, and their $11.50 average target price points toward a gain of 172% on the one-year horizon. (See AUR stock forecast)