SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 16, 2026--
PlusAI, a Physical AI leader transforming transportation with AI-based autonomous driving software, today announced that SuperDrive™, its Level 4 autonomous driving system for commercial trucks, has been named to Fast Company’s 2026 World Changing Ideas list. This year’s awards highlight 191 outstanding projects for their impact, sustainability, design, creativity, scalability, and ability to improve society.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260616707358/en/
“We are honored by this recognition from Fast Company for the progress we have made in moving autonomous trucking from breakthrough technology to commercial reality. After more than a decade of development, we have reached an industry inflection point where autonomous trucks are beginning to show their potential to improve road safety, strengthen supply chains, and address driver shortages,” said David Liu, CEO and Co-Founder of PlusAI. “We are excited to expand the global impact of SuperDrive with our partners including Scania, MAN and International of the TRATON GROUP, Iveco Group, and Hyundai Motor Company. Our focus now is on the large-scale deployment of factory-built autonomous trucks starting in 2027.”
SuperDrive is being deployed globally. PlusAI is running autonomous fleet trials in Texas with International, placing factory-integrated autonomous trucks powered by SuperDrive into real freight operations for Ryder. The trials have consistently delivered loads on schedule, achieving a 100% on-time delivery rate. In Europe, PlusAI and IVECO are advancing Southern Europe’s first autonomous trucking program with Spanish logistics operator Sesé.
Built on more than seven million miles of real-world driving across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, SuperDrive brings AI into freight transportation. At its core is PlusAI’s AV2.0 architecture, which leverages latest AI advances, including end-to-end driving models, Vision-Language-Action capabilities, world models, and independent safety guardrails, to help autonomous trucks interpret complex highway scenes, reason through driving decisions, and operate safely in real-world freight environments.
This latest recognition builds on a growing track record of industry accolades for PlusAI’s autonomous trucking technology, including being named to TIME’s Best Inventions 2025 for the autonomous XCIENT Fuel Cell Class 8 heavy-duty truck project conducted with Hyundai Motor.
Over the last six months, PlusAI has continued to strengthen the technological, safety, and operational foundations required for commercial deployment of SuperDrive by:
PlusAI has also expanded the impact of SuperDrive by providing its underlying software development platform named HyperFoundry™ to the automotive ecosystem. HyperFoundry has already generated $25 million in contracted revenue year-to-date, demonstrating demand for industrial-grade data, tools, and infrastructure used to develop and validate autonomous and Physical AI systems.
As PlusAI builds towards the 2027 commercial launch of factory-built autonomous trucks integrated with SuperDrive, the company continues to advance its mission of transforming transportation through Physical AI.
To learn more about why freight movement matters and how autonomous trucking benefits society and economy, visit https://plus.ai/why-autonomous-trucking.
About PlusAI
PlusAI is a global physical AI company pioneering AI-based virtual driver software for factory-built autonomous trucks. Its SuperDrive™ and HyperFoundry™ solutions accelerate the scalable development and deployment of autonomous vehicles. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with operations in the United States and Europe, PlusAI was named one of Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies. PlusAI is working with global commercial vehicle makers and ecosystem partners including TRATON GROUP’s Scania, MAN, and International brands, Hyundai Motor Company, Iveco Group, NVIDIA, Ryder, Bosch, DSV, and Goodyear to bring next-generation autonomous trucks to market. For more information, visit www.plus.ai or follow PlusAI on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.
Fast Company Names PlusAI’s SuperDrive™ a 2026 World Changing Idea for Bringing Physical AI to Commercial Freight
HOUSTON (AP) — From 100 losses to their first playoff series win in two decades, these scrappy Chicago White Sox just keep outdoing themselves.
The White Sox used a big first inning and a three-run homer from Chase Meidroth to propel them to a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday to sweep their AL Wild Card Series.
“I’m proud of the guys and certainly happy for them as they’re probably the only ones in this country that believed that they could be in this spot," manager Will Venable said. “And they maintained that belief in the beginning of the season and went throughout the season maintaining that, and they made it happen. So it’s awesome to get to this point.”
It's the first time Chicago has won a playoff series since beating Houston in the World Series in 2005. Under the direction of Venable, the second-year skipper, and with a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV, the White Sox advanced to face AL Central champion Cleveland in the AL Division Series beginning Saturday in Cleveland.
“It means everything for our fans,” Meidroth said. “They have been incredible all year. So the main thing was getting back to Chicago for some postseason baseball, and so we’re really blessed that we get to do that.”
The White Sox, who lost 100 games in each of the last three seasons, are the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth.
The AL West-winning Astros went 81-81 to become the first team to reach the postseason without a winning record. Their recent playoff woes in Houston continued Wednesday as they dropped their ninth straight home playoff game in a ninth trip to the postseason in the last 10 years.
Chicago pounced on the Astros for four runs in the first inning a day after scoring three in the first two innings of a 6-3 win. Houston ace Hunter Brown was lifted after getting just two outs and wasn’t helped by a sloppy defense which committed two first-inning errors.
He was 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA in six career starts against the White Sox before Wednesday’s debacle.
The Astros clawed their way back into it with solo home runs from Jeremy Peña, Cam Smith and Jose Altuve to trail by 1 entering the sixth inning.
AJ Blubaugh, who opened Game 1, and Peter Lambert, pitching on two days’ rest, combined to retire the next 13 batters after Brown exited. Chicago’s next baserunner came when Lambert walked Andrew Benintendi to start the sixth and then walked Tristan Peters.
Bryan Abreu came in, and Meidroth smashed his fifth pitch off the wall in left field to push the lead to 7-3. He yelled on his entire trip around the bases to the delight of a patch of White Sox fans seated near the visitor’s dugout.
“I was looking for something middle up,” Meidroth said. “He’s had my number all year, really good fastball, so I got something middle up and I was able to cash in for the team. So, yeah, that was awesome.”
Houston faced boos for a second game in a row from an unusually thin crowd. It’s a second straight playoff trip where the Astros have been swept at home in the wild card after losing both games to Detroit in 2024.
Now they’ll face an uncertain future with manager Joe Espada’s contract set to expire at season’s end after general manager Dana Brown was fired last month.
“We fought back and we set our goal to win this division and we accomplished that,” Espada said. “We wanted to play deep in October. We came short on that. But just the way our guys stayed together and were able to get this far, extremely proud of our team.”
It was a disappointing series for Houston slugger and AL MVP-favorite Yordan Alvarez, who managed only a single with two strikeouts in eight at-bats in the series.
Altuve’s shot to the seats in left field in the fourth inning got the Astros within 4-3. It was the 28th postseason homer of his career, which is second in MLB history behind Manny Ramirez (29).
“We’re all sad,” Altuve said. “We wanted to go to the World Series and win it. But today is sorrow for the final day of the season."
The Astros had a shot to take the lead before Meidroth’s homer. They loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but Anthony Kay retired Altuve on a fly out to end the inning.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Chicago White Sox players celebrate after winning baseball's American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami celebrates after winning baseball's American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Chicago White Sox players and staff pose for a photo after winning baseball's American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Chicago White Sox's Brenton Doyle celebrates after winning baseball's American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth (10) celebrates after hitting a 3-run home run during the sixth inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Houston Astros' Cam Smith hits a solo home run during the second inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Wild Card Series against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown (58) reacts after a RBI-single hit by Chicago White Sox's Tristan Peters during the first inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Wild Card Series, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve reacts after hitting a fly out to end the bottom of the fifth inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Wild Card Series against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth (10) celebrates after hitting a 3-run home run during the sixth inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth (10) celebrates while running the bases after hitting a 3-run home run during the sixth inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
