Volvo teams up with Aurora to reveal an autonomous semi truck
Volvo's Driverless Trucks: Road Ready?
Volvo has partnered with Aurora to launch a "production-ready" autonomous semi truck, built on the Volvo VNL platform for long-haul transportation. This truck incorporates Aurora’s Level 4 autonomous driving technology, allowing operation without a human driver. The truck is designed specifically for Aurora's self-driving systems and will be produced at Volvo’s largest plant in Dublin, Virginia.
The collaboration, which began in 2018, aims to mass produce self-driving trucks to achieve returns on their significant investments in autonomous vehicle (AV) development. Aurora plans to deploy 20 autonomous trucks in 2023, expanding to 100 by 2025, and further scaling up with partnerships like the one with Continental for deployment in 2027. Despite challenges faced by the AV industry, Volvo and Aurora are pushing forward with their autonomous truck programs, aiming for broad adoption and integration across various markets and applications.
How many fully autonomous trucks does Aurora plan to deploy by the end of this year, and what are their expansion plans through 2025?
Aurora plans to deploy 20 fully autonomous trucks by the end of this year1. They aim to expand their fleet to about 100 trucks by 2025, with the intention of eventually selling to other companies1. This expansion is part of Aurora's broader strategy to scale up their operations and commercialize their autonomous driving technology.
What specific autonomous driving technology level does Aurora's system in the Volvo self-driving truck utilize?
Aurora's system in the Volvo self-driving truck utilizes Level 4 autonomous driving technology. This level of autonomy enables the truck to operate without a human driver behind the wheel, relying on a sophisticated array of sensors and cameras to navigate and control the vehicle independently under certain conditions. This integration is part of a purpose-built approach, specifically designed to accommodate Aurora’s autonomous driving hardware and software stack.