Aurora has launched its second-generation driverless trucks in the USA and announced plans to deploy the new fleet across its commercial network, which currently encompasses 10 driverless routes throughout the US Sun Belt.
Aurora deployed Class 8 trucks powered by the Aurora Driver, its self-driving system, on public roads last year. As of the end of June, the Aurora Driver has completed nearly 440,000 driverless miles. The company’s route expansion is also driving significant commercial momentum, underscored by a customer’s recent plan to purchase 500 Aurora Driver-powered trucks.
“Last year’s driverless launch proved our technology could operate safely on public roads – our new platform now provides the foundation to deliver at scale,” said Chris Urmson, CEO and co-founder of Aurora. “Deploying our second-generation truck allows us to put hundreds of autonomous trucks on the road and ultimately into the hands of more customers.”
The new fleet is based on the International LT Series and features Aurora’s next-generation self-driving hardware, Driver 2, which the company says is designed to operate for up to one million miles. Aurora closed the new truck and hardware’s safety case, proving that they have met the company’s internal safety requirements for driverless operation on public roads.
Roush, a premier product development supplier, is installing redundant systems and integrating Aurora’s next-generation hardware into the new trucks at a production facility dedicated to Aurora. The companies have also formalized an upfit process, positioning Roush to reach an annual production run-rate of 1,000 Aurora trucks later this year.
“By working with a world-class manufacturing partner like Roush, we can meet our customer demand and continue to make the movement of goods safer and more efficient across the country,” added Urmson.
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