Waymo to test self-driving truck in Atlanta

The next time you’re driving down the highway, it’s possible you might see a self-driving truck.

Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet, next week launches a pilot program in Atlanta to use a self-driving truck for deliveries to Google’s data center. There will be drivers in the cabs “to monitor systems and take control if needed,” the company said.

The company has already put self-driving technology onto trucks for testing in California and Arizona over the past year, but Atlanta as a major logistics hub is the “perfect environment for our next phase of testing Waymo’s self-driving trucks,” the company said -- prompting a welcome message from Gov. Nathan Deal. Waymo said it believes self-driving technology could make trucking safer.

MYAJC.COM: REAL JOURNALISM. REAL LOCAL IMPACT.

AJC Business reporter Kelly Yamanouchi keeps you updated on the latest news about Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Delta Air Lines and the airline industry in metro Atlanta and beyond. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:

• Delta explains why it cut ties with the NRA
• Back to the future: Electric vehicles date back to the 1930s at UPS
• Hartsfield-Jackson restricts late-night access

Never miss a minute of what's happening in local business news. Subscribe to myAJC.com.