San Diego, CA – Three more top trucking industry executives are now advising a self-driving truck company with plans to soon begin displacing truckers.

In an announcement late last week, autonomous technology developer TuSimple said it recently added three more industry leaders to its Executive Advisory Board (EAB).

Joining the EAB is: Persio Lisboa, President and CEO, Navistar International Corporation; Richard Kramer, Chairman of the Board, CEO and President, The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company; and Nicole Nason, Chief Safety Officer and Head of External Affairs, Cavnue.

Today we announced the addition of three new members to the TuSimple Executive Advisory Board: Nicole Nason, Persio Lisboa, and Richard Kramer. These industry leaders in transportation and safety will help bring safe and reliable autonomous trucking technology to the market. pic.twitter.com/zeMbzxrpeI

— TuSimple (@TuSimpleAI) April 23, 2021

The additions of Lisboa and Kramer to the EAB were expected as both Navistar and Goodyear purchased a stake in TuSimple before the technology startup went public earlier this month, raking in over $1 billion during its initial public offering (IPO).

Nason, however, will also lend significant expertise in helping TuSimple reach its stated goal of “removing the driver from middle mile truck freight.” 

She served as Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration from 2019 until January of 2021, before joining Cavnue, a company working to “build the future of roads.”

Currently, Cavnue is undertaking a feasibility analysis to inform the development of a first-of-its-kind connected corridor in southeast Michigan.

“We’re starting work to pilot, plan, and potentially develop a Connected and Automated Vehicle Corridor between downtown Detroit and Ann Arbor,” the company’s website states.

Further, according to Cavnue, “transportation in America and around the world is changing” and “mobility will be defined by intelligent, connected, and autonomous vehicles.”

Nason is yet another recent top United States Department of Transportation official to advise TuSimple.

Jim Mullen, former Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, joined the self-driving truck company last year as Chief Legal and Risk Officer shortly after abruptly leaving his post at the Agency.

He has since been promoted to Chief Administrative and Legal Officer.

Lisboa, Kramer, and Nason will now join mega carrier executives Mark Rourke, President and CEO of Schneider National; Derek Leathers, President and CEO of Werner Enterprises; and Eric Fuller, President and CEO of U.S. Xpress Enterprises; on the EAB.

Cheng Lu, President and CEO of TuSimple, expressed satisfaction regarding the new additions to the EAB.

“We are assembling an impressive group of industry experts to provide strategic guidance as we continue to bring autonomous trucks to market through the expansion of the TuSimple Autonomous Freight Network,” said Lu. “Their combined expertise in the areas of transportation, logistics and safety will play a valuable role in helping bring what we believe is a transformational technology to market over the next few years.”