周四上午，自动驾驶卡车开发商智加科技（PlusAI）的一位高管收到了一位熟人发来的意外祝贺短信。“我一直为你在Plus的冒险和成功感到骄傲。刚在我的工作地点附近看到了两辆你们的卡车！:)”短信写道。
On Thursday morning, a top executive at self-driving truck developer PlusAI received an unexpected congratulatory text message from an acquaintance. “I have been proud of you for your adventure and success at Plus. Just saw two of your trucks near my work place! :)” the message said.
但智加科技的卡车本不应该出现在这名熟人位于加利福尼亚州纽瓦克的办公室附近。据该公司最后掌握的信息，这些半挂车当时停放在半英里外的仓库外面。不久之后，根据警方的一份声明，警察赶到现场协助找回这两辆半挂车，车身上印有智加科技和全球市值最高公司英伟达（Nvidia）的标志。这两家公司目前正合作开发人工智能软件和自动驾驶卡车技术。
But PlusAI’s trucks weren’t supposed to be near this person’s office, in Newark, California. As of the last the company knew, the trailers were docked outside its warehouse, half a mile away. Soon, according to a police statement, cops were on the scene to help recover the two trailers, emblazoned with logos for PlusAI and Nvidia, the most valuable company in the world. The two companies are working together on AI software and autonomous truck technology.
就在那时，智加科技的员工向警方透露了一条线索，解释了为什么那些将自己的驾驶室挂上这些半挂车并将其开走的人，在强行撬开它们后又会选择放弃整个车：每个半挂车里都装满了约2万磅的沙子。
That’s when PlusAI employees gave police a hint as to why whoever hooked their own cabs up to the trailers and drove away might have abandoned the whole thing after breaking them open: Each trailer was full of about 20,000 pounds of sand.
该公司发言人劳伦·关（Lauren Kwan）表示：“智加科技在其半挂车中使用模拟负载来辅助研发测试。”被找回的半挂车中，“4万磅的沙子完好无损”。关女士表示，智加科技配备技术的卡车驾驶室——通常是司机坐着并控制车辆的地方——当时停在仓库内部，并未被盗。这些半挂车用手动锁锁着，锁已被损坏。
“PlusAI uses simulated loads in its trailers to assist with research and development testing,” says Lauren Kwan, a company spokesperson. The trailers were recovered with “40,000 pounds of sand intact.” PlusAI’s tech-enabled truck cabs—where the driver typically sits and controls the vehicle—were parked inside its warehouse and weren’t taken, Kwan says. The trailers were secured with hand locks, which were broken. The case is under investigation, and no arrests have been made, says Amy Gee, a spokesperson for the Fremont Police Department.
弗里蒙特警察局发言人艾米·吉（Amy Gee）表示，此案正在调查中，目前尚未实施逮捕。英伟达没有立即回应置评请求。
Nvidia didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
该事件发生在针对高价值计算机设备（尤其是用于数据中心的芯片及其他电子产品）的盗窃案日益增多的背景下。今年8月，《连线》杂志披露了加利福尼亚州的两起案件，窃贼在运送高价值科技货物后，故意袭击安保押运车辆，以确保货物抵达目的地。涉事卡车随后被驶往另一地点。截至8月，车上价值数百万美元的数据中心设备仍未追回。
The incident comes at a time of rising theft targeting high-value computer equipment, especially chips and other electronics meant for use in data centers. In August, WIRED revealed two California incidents in which thieves deliberately struck the vehicles of security escorts following high-value tech loads to ensure they reached their destinations. The trucks involved were then driven to another destination. As of August, millions of dollars of data center equipment onboard had not been recovered.
今年，窃贼还将特斯拉电池和各类比特币挖矿机列为目标。当局已在部分案件中逮捕嫌疑人，但许多案件仍未侦破。
This year, thieves have also targeted Tesla batteries and various bitcoin mining machines. Authorities have arrested suspects in some cases, but many crimes remain unsolved.
据分析和风险评估公司Verisk CargoNet称，近几个月来，美国货运盗窃案中最常见的目标包括金属以及企业级计算机和网络设备。
Some of the most common targets of cargo theft in recent months across the US include metals and enterprise-grade computer and networking equipment, according to Verisk CargoNet, an analytics and risk assessment firm.
这起事件有一个更圆满的结局。弗里蒙特警察局表示，截至周四下午，沙石拖车已归还给PlusAI公司。
This story has a happier ending. By Thursday afternoon, the sand trailers were back with PlusAI, the Fremont Police Department said.