Digital freight broker Loadsmart and autonomous truck startup Starsky Robotics have announced that they were able to automatically dispatch an autonomous truck to haul freight.

Loadsmart successfully priced, tendered and booked the dispatchment, while Starsky's self-driving technology was used to pick up and deliver the shipment.

There was no need for human intervention during this process, thanks to the integration of Loadsmart's artificial intelligence (AI)-powered pricing and load matching technology with Starsky's API.

According to Loadsmart and Starsky, this initiative is part of a “larger strategic partnership” that paves the way for the future of trucking, which will consist of autonomous brokerages dispatching freight to autonomous trucks without human involvement.

“Today, for the first time ever, the advances that seem obvious for the ride-sharing services are coming to trucking,” says Stefan Seltz-Axmacher, CEO and founder of Starsky Robotics.

“It's not uncommon for a traditional trucking company to have 5 full-time employees involved in dispatching each truck for each load. By integrating e-brokers like Loadsmart, we are eliminating all back office human intervention and making the shipment process seamless, while focusing on ensuring the safety of driverless trucks. With Starsky's Hutch API, which was also announced today, we will be able to autonomously dispatch autonomous loads on a regular basis.”

By combining its Automated Dispatch API with Starsky's Hutch API, Loadsmart was able to connect its network of customers with Starsky's fleet of regular and self-driving trucks.

The partnership is mutually beneficial for both companies, as Starsky can automatically dispatch its trucks without human intervention, while Loadsmart can help its clients move more with less by expanding its ability to automate the shipping process from quoting, booking to delivery.

“Autonomous vehicles play an integral role in our vision of delivering end-to-end automated shipping and logistics services,” says Ricardo Salgado, CEO, Loadsmart.

“Starsky is one of the leading developers of autonomous trucking technology and given our belief that autonomous trucks will provide great value; the team will help us be at the forefront of providing our clients with access to cutting edge technology so they can advance their supply chain.”