Two trailers bearing the Nvidia logo were stolen recently, not for their supposed high-tech contents, but for the 40,000 pounds of sand they contained. The theft targeted trucks belonging to PlusAI, a self-driving truck software company that partners with Nvidia. Thieves reportedly detached the trailers from their vehicles and made off with the cargo, only to discover the sand's presence and abandon it.
The incident, reported by Wired, highlights a common assumption that any truck adorned with the Nvidia brand must be carrying valuable electronics. Nvidia has experienced significant growth, becoming the world's first $5 trillion company due to its prominent role in the AI boom, making its branding a potential lure for those seeking valuable tech.
However, the stolen trailers were part of a simulation and were intentionally filled with 20,000 pounds of sand each. This suggests the load was for weight-testing purposes. The sand has since been recovered by PlusAI, though the perpetrators have not been apprehended.