Volvo groups up with Aurora to disclose an autonomous semi truck

World Courant

Volvo revealed its first “production-ready” self-driving truck that it is making with Aurora, the autonomous driving know-how firm based by former executives from Google, Uber, and Tesla.

The truck relies on Volvo’s new VNL, which is a Class 8 semi truck constructed for long-haul transportation. The autonomous model of the truck options an array of sensors and cameras to energy Aurora’s Stage 4 autonomous driving system, which allows the truck to function and not using a human behind the wheel. The businesses say the truck is “purpose-designed and purpose-built” for Aurora’s self-driving {hardware} and software program stack.

“This truck is the primary of our standardized international autonomous know-how platform, which can allow us to introduce extra fashions sooner or later, bringing autonomy to all Volvo Group truck manufacturers, and to different geographies and use circumstances,” Nils Jaeger, president of Volvo Autonomous Options, stated in a press release.

The truck relies on Volvo’s new VNL, which is a Class 8 semi truck constructed for long-haul transportation

The thought of ​​the automobile being purpose-built is essential for the mass manufacturing of self-driving vans, which is essential if the businesses are ever to attain a return on the huge quantities of cash that they’ve invested in AV improvement. The vans will probably be constructed at Volvo’s New River Valley plant in Dublin, Virginia, which is the corporate’s largest on the earth.

Volvo, which makes about 10 p.c of the world’s Class 8 vans, first began working with Aurora in 2018 in direction of options for self-driving vans. The businesses have examined their know-how on public roads, with Aurora having pushed 1.5 million miles on business roads.

Aurora has stated it plans to deploy 20 absolutely autonomous vans this yr, with a watch on increasing to about 100 vans in 2025 and ultimately promoting to different firms. The corporate is also working with German auto provider Continental to deploy driverless vans at scale in 2027.

Autonomous vans have been as soon as thought to precede robotaxis and personally owned autonomous autos in mass adoption however have run into comparable obstacles as these different automobile varieties alongside the best way. Some firms have gone out of enterprise, whereas others have minimize plans to deploy driverless vans as timelines have stretched into the long run and funding has dried up. Different automakers are nonetheless bullish, designing their very own autonomous vans with arduous deadlines for deployment.

Aurora has not had any public mishaps, nor has it attracted the type of unfavorable consideration from the federal government as a few of its friends. The corporate reported a web lack of $165 million within the first quarter of 2024, which is a 16 p.c enchancment over the identical interval the yr earlier than.

Volvo groups up with Aurora to disclose an autonomous semi truck

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