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Pittsburgh-based tech startup Aurora Innovation is making waves as it announced Friday (Jan. 5) that it will be producing thousands of its self-driving haul trucks by 2027, all thanks to its partnership with German auto parts manufacturer, Continental.
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Aurora has been gaining attention with its autonomous technology, Aurora Driver, which can operate anything from a four-door sedan to a Class 8 semi-truck. With about 30 autonomous haul trucks currently in operation on the roads of Texas, making 75 deliveries a week to customers like FedEx and Uber Freight, Aurora is proving its capabilities. However, the trucks aren’t truly “driverless” yet as they are still accompanied by an operations specialist, but that is expected to change by 2024. By then, Aurora plans to have 19 trucks driving a 240-mile stretch from Houston to Dallas without human passengers.
This comes as the trucking industry faces challenges such as low driver retention due to pay concerns, which Aurora’s technology aims to alleviate, given the limitations currently imposed on human drivers. The company’s plans to mass produce its vehicles in three years sets it apart from other autonomous trucking startups and could potentially lead to significant industry-wide changes.
How Aurora’s driverless trucks expect to get cruising
Between 2024 and 2025, Continental will be manufacturing hardware for testing at its new facility in New Braunfels, Texas, and scaling up production in 2025, with fully functional trucks ready for delivery in 2027. Additionally, Aurora has partnerships with Volvo and PACCAR for the truck bodies.
With the self-driving auto industry under heightened scrutiny, Aurora will need to address safety concerns particularly following incidents involving other autonomous vehicle companies. Addressing such concerns and establishing transparent communication with regulators will be crucial, especially as the public remains wary about the increased presence of driverless heavy-duty trucks on the roads. Despite these challenges, the industry is certainly on the cusp of a significant turning point with the mass production and deployment of autonomous haul trucks by Aurora.