Thieves steal Nvidia trucks filled with sand

Thieves set out to steal trailer trucks marked with the Nvidia logo expecting a haul of valuable electronics; found 18 tons of sand, instead.

The thieves’ mistake was not clocking the other logo on the trucks; that of PlusAI, an autonomous truck startup working with Nvidia on its self-driving technology and AI software.

PlusAI’s job is to simulate how cargo loads react to road conditions, and the way they do it is by packing their semi-trailers with sand. A lot of sand. 18 tons worth.

“PlusAI uses simulated loads in its trailers to assist with research and development testing,” Lauren Kwan, a company spokesperson, told Wired.

The trailers were discovered to be stolen when a friend of a top PlusAI executive saw them near their workplace in Newark, California, leading to them calling the PlusAI executive to congratulate them on the successful launch of the trucks.

This made no sense to the exec as the trucks were supposed to be docked outside PlusAI’s warehouse, half a mile away – setting off alarm bells.

The thieves had linked the trailers to their own cabs and drove off – when they stopped to see what the take was, one can only imagine their disappointment at finding half a beach in each container.

It’s believed that they then simply left after breaking open the doors, abandoning the units. The case is currently under investigation by police, and no arrests have been made. Nvidia has yet to respond to a request for comment.