Self-driving truck startup PlusAI said on Monday it will launch Southern Europe’s first programme to test heavy-duty autonomous trucks, expanding its long-standing partnership with IVECO, part of Iveco Group.
The programme will deploy two IVECO S-Way trucks fitted with PlusAI’s Level 4 autonomous driving system on a freight route of around 300 kilometres between Madrid and Zaragoza. Testing is scheduled to begin in 2026, with a safety operator present on board during trials.
The tests will be conducted in cooperation with Spanish logistics company Sesé and the regional government of Aragon, highlighting growing public-private collaboration in the development of autonomous transport infrastructure in Europe.
PlusAI, which is headquartered in Silicon Valley and operates across Europe and the United States, has worked with Iveco for several years on joint research and testing initiatives aimed at commercialising autonomous trucking technology.
The announcement comes as PlusAI moves closer to a planned public listing on Nasdaq through a business combination with Churchill Capital Corp IX, a deal expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.
Meanwhile, Iveco Group is set to be delisted after Tata Motors announced in July that it would acquire the company in a transaction valued at 3.8 billion euros. The deal reflects ongoing consolidation in the global commercial vehicle sector as manufacturers adapt to electrification and automation trends.
