Thieves stole PlusAI trailers with Nvidia logos but found sand

In short: Thieves stole two trailers linked to PlusAI and Nvidia in California, but the trailers were filled with sand and were recovered the same day.

What happened

On Thursday morning, a senior executive at PlusAI got a text message saying two of the company’s trucks had been spotted near an office in Newark, California. PlusAI says its trailers were supposed to be parked outside the company’s warehouse about half a mile away.

Police later helped recover two trailers that had PlusAI and Nvidia logos on them. PlusAI and Nvidia work together on software for self-driving trucks, meaning trucks that can help steer, brake, and stay in a lane with less human input.

Whoever took the trailers broke their locks and opened them. According to PlusAI spokesperson Lauren Kwan, each trailer was carrying a “simulated load” of about 20,000 pounds of sand. It is basically a fake shipment used for testing, like putting a weighted backpack on someone while they practice for a hike. The trailers were recovered with the full 40,000 pounds of sand still inside.

PlusAI said the truck cabs, the front parts where a driver sits, were parked inside the warehouse and were not taken. The Fremont Police Department said the case is still under investigation and no arrests have been made. Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Why it matters

The incident comes as cargo thieves have increasingly targeted valuable computer equipment, especially chips used in data centers (large buildings filled with computers that power online services). This case ended with sand returned, but it shows how trailers with big tech logos can attract attention.

Source: Wired