Aurora and automotive supplier Continental have completed the first phase of a more than $300 million project mass production of autonomous vehicle hardware for commercial autonomous trucks.
The two companies said Friday that the design and system architecture of an autonomous vehicle hardware kit is now complete. The plan for a secondary computer that can take over in the event of a failure — known as a fallback — has also been finalized. The companies made the announcement ahead of a planned exhibit at CES 2024, the annual technology trade show that starts next week in Las Vegas.
Although a seemingly small milestone in a multi-year, multi-million dollar journey, it is complex and critical. A range of hardware, including sensors such as radar, cameras and lidar, automated driving control units and high-performance computers, are used alongside software to allow a vehicle—in this case, driverless pickup trucks—to navigate roads without a human driver behind. the wheel.
That means Continental can now work on developing prototypes ahead of its plan to begin production in 2027. Continental will build initial versions of the hardware for testing at its new facility in New Braunfels, Texas next year. By 2026, the companies said, “validation” is expected to begin, a process that will involve integrating the hardware and software systems into a fleet of trucks for testing. Aurora also works with truck manufacturers Paccar and Volvo Group.
The ultimate goal is to mass-produce an automotive-grade hardware system that can withstand the cold, heat and other environmental conditions that long-haul trucks face every day. Importantly, the hardware system must be reliable, easy to maintain, and cheaply produced.
The companies have previously stated that the intention is to produce thousands of these systems.
Aurora co-founder and CEO Chris Urmson said the completion of its future hardware design is an essential step towards making the Aurora Driver unit’s financials compelling and building a business for the long term. In other words, Urmson believes it’s critical if the company hopes to become profitable.
However, Aurora is not waiting until 2027 or beyond to begin commercial operations. The company plans to roll out up to 20 driverless Class 8 trucks — that is, no human behind the wheel — by the end of 2024. Initially, these driverless trucks will transport cargo between Dallas and Houston, a route the company uses for tests.
Although these first driverless trucks will not be equipped with the Aurora-Continental hardware kit, they are designed to automotive standards and to operate safely without a driver, according to Aurora spokeswoman Rachel Chibidakis. Aurora will continue to update the hardware of this fleet over the next several years before transitioning to kit designed to be built to scale.
Correction: TechCrunch was given incorrect information about the number of driverless trucks that will initially be released by the end of the year. The number has been corrected to “up to 20” driverless trucks.
