In the world of autonomous vehicles, Pittsburgh-based Aurora is pushing the boundaries on safety and trucking, despite common challenges.
The company plans for a commercial launch by the end of 2024, targeting about 20 autonomous trucks in Texas to eliminate backup human drivers. Testing has shown that Aurora's software surpasses human drivers in certain safety scenarios, predicting and avoiding potential collisions.
Uncommonly transparent, the company confirms it's 93% done with the software development. Chief Safety Officer, Nat Beuse, and one of Aurora's government affairs executives, Melissa Wade, have been spotlighted in prominent roles in the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transforming Transportation Advisory Committee and the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association board, respectively.
Aurora, who raised a staggering $820 million in funding just last year, believes the best starting point for automated vehicles is in the trucking industry. Although the company has partnerships with Uber and Toyota, they've yet to branch out into the passenger vehicle market. They're not alone, with startups Gatik and Kodiak Robotics also eyeing Texas as a potential test ground for autonomous trucks after a 2017 law permitting driverless systems on public streets was passed.
The company is also working hard to build a positive reputation within the local community, recently engaging in mock traffic stops with the Frisco Police Department in Texas. To discover more about Aurora's approach to safety and autonomy in trucking, read the full article here.