Articles tagged with "self-driving-trucks"
TechCrunch Mobility: Self-driving trucks startup Kodiak goes public and a shake-up at Hyundai’s Supernal
The article from TechCrunch Mobility highlights recent developments in the autonomous vehicle (AV) and transportation sector, emphasizing both progress and challenges. Gatik, an AV logistics startup, announced a significant multi-year partnership with Canada’s largest retailer, Loblaw, to deploy 20 autonomous middle-mile trucks by the end of 2025, with plans to expand to 50 trucks by 2026. These trucks will autonomously manage complex regional deliveries from two distribution centers to over 300 retail stores, marking a notable commercial deployment beyond fixed-route pilots. Additionally, Kodiak Robotics, a self-driving truck startup focused on highway, industrial, and defense applications, went public through a SPAC merger with Ares Acquisition Corporation II, valuing the company at approximately $2.5 billion. Kodiak raised over $212 million in financing, including PIPE funding and trust cash, although some SPAC investors redeemed shares. Founder and CEO Don Burnette explained that going public via SPAC was a strategic choice to access capital
robotautonomous-vehiclesself-driving-trucksKodiak-Roboticslogistics-technologytransportation-innovationAI-in-transportationBot Auto completes uncrewed truck validation run - The Robot Report
Bot Auto, a Houston-based autonomous trucking startup founded in 2023, has successfully completed its first fully uncrewed hub-to-hub validation run in Houston, marking a major milestone in its development of SAE Level 4 autonomous trucks. Unlike operations that still require a licensed driver onboard, this run featured no humans in the cab or remote control, relying on a system with redundant compute, actuation, power, and failover capabilities. The company emphasized that true “humanless” autonomy means no human involvement anywhere in the vehicle’s operation. Prior to the run, Bot Auto conducted comprehensive safety verifications, including closed-course testing and implemented multiple layers of protection such as diversified redundancy, continuous health monitoring, and a minimum-risk fallback to ensure safe responses to unexpected events. The autonomous truck successfully navigated a predefined operational design domain under real-world conditions, including dusk, demonstrating its ability to handle complex traffic scenarios safely and reliably. Bot Auto’s AI dynamically adjusts for different payloads and makes real-time decisions
robotautonomous-vehiclesself-driving-trucksAI-technologytransportation-as-a-servicelogistics-automationsafety-systemsUber Freight CEO Lior Ron leaves to join self-driving startup Waabi as COO
Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron is leaving his role to become COO of Waabi, a self-driving truck startup focused on commercializing autonomous freight technology. Rebecca Tinucci, who previously helped build Tesla’s charging network, will succeed Ron as head of Uber Freight, while Ron will remain chairman. Waabi’s founder and CEO, Raquel Urtasun, highlighted Ron’s experience scaling Uber Freight to $5 billion in revenue and emphasized his role in driving Waabi’s go-to-market strategy and partnerships. Ron’s move reflects his belief in the transformative potential of autonomous trucking and Waabi’s positioning to lead that change. Waabi, founded in 2021, has raised $287.7 million and leverages an “AI-first” approach using its proprietary Waabi World simulator to accelerate the training, testing, and validation of its self-driving software. This approach has allowed Waabi to advance efficiently in a capital-intensive industry where competitors like TuSimple and Embark have struggled. The company is on
robotautonomous-vehiclesself-driving-trucksAItransportation-technologyWaabilogistics-automationDriverless Trucks Now Certified To Drive Day and Night
Aurora’s commercial self-driving trucks have recently received certification to operate during both day and night, marking a significant milestone in autonomous vehicle technology. This validation expands the operational capabilities of Aurora’s driverless trucks, allowing for continuous, around-the-clock freight transport. The development promises to enhance efficiency and flexibility within the American transportation industry by enabling longer haul times without the limitations imposed by daylight-only operation. Looking ahead, Aurora plans further improvements and expansions to its autonomous trucking technology. These advancements are expected to bolster the reliability and scalability of driverless freight solutions, potentially transforming logistics and supply chain operations across the United States. The certification for night driving represents a crucial step toward broader adoption of autonomous trucks, which could lead to reduced costs, improved safety, and increased productivity in American transport.
robotautonomous-vehiclesself-driving-truckstransportation-technologyautomationdriverless-technologycommercial-trucksTechCrunch Mobility: Uber makes a bet on premium robotaxis
The article from TechCrunch Mobility highlights Uber’s significant investment and strategic focus on autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, particularly in premium robotaxi services. Over the past two years, Uber has formed partnerships across various AV sectors, including delivery and trucking. Recently, Uber invested $300 million in EV maker Lucid and reportedly over $400 million in AV startup Nuro, signaling a strong commitment to expanding its presence in the autonomous mobility market. This move underscores Uber’s ambition to secure a substantial share of the emerging robotaxi industry. Additionally, the article touches on other notable developments in the AV and mobility space. Boris Sofman, formerly of Waymo’s self-driving trucks program, co-founded Bedrock Robotics, a startup focused on autonomous heavy equipment for construction, backed by investors like Eclipse and 8VC. Other funding news includes Amogy’s $80 million raise for ammonia-to-power technology applicable to shipping, and Gridserve’s $134 million funding round for mobile EV charging in the U.K. The
robotautonomous-vehiclesrobotaxiselectric-vehiclesself-driving-trucksmobility-technologytransportation-innovationKodiak is using Vay’s remote driving tech in its self-driving trucks
Kodiak Robotics has integrated remote-driving technology from Berlin-based startup Vay into its self-driving trucks, enhancing operational safety and control. The partnership, ongoing since last year, supports Kodiak’s autonomous trucks currently operating for Atlas Energy Solutions in the Permian Basin and will be crucial for Kodiak’s planned commercial driverless deliveries on Texas public highways starting in late 2026. Vay’s teleoperations system allows a remotely located human operator to control Kodiak’s trucks in low-speed or complex scenarios, such as navigating construction zones, using a rig with steering controls and real-time communication. However, Kodiak’s proprietary “assisted autonomy” system remains in control, imposing limits on the remote driver’s inputs to ensure safe and consistent operation regardless of vehicle type or load. The collaboration originated from Kodiak’s 2022 U.S. Army contract, which required remote-driving capabilities for military vehicles in unpredictable environments. While Kodiak initially developed its own teleoperation technology, it ultimately partnered with Vay,
robotautonomous-vehiclesremote-drivingteleoperationsself-driving-trucksKodiak-Roboticsdriverless-technologyAurora co-founder Sterling Anderson is leaving the self-driving truck startup
robotautonomous-vehiclesself-driving-truckstransportation-technologyAuroraSterling-Andersonelectric-vehiclesTechCrunch Mobility: Aurora launches its driverless commercial trucking service, and a surprise bidder joins Canoo’s bankruptcy case
robotautonomous-vehiclestruckingtransportation-technologyAurora-Innovationcommercial-truckingself-driving-trucksAurora launches its driverless commercial trucking service, and a surprise bidder joins Canoo’s bankruptcy case
robotautonomous-vehiclestruckingtransportation-technologyAurora-Innovationfreight-logisticsself-driving-trucks