Waabi, a startup focused on self-driving trucks, is joining forces with Volvo Autonomous Solutions to work together on developing and launching autonomous trucks. This collaboration is a significant step toward getting these self-driving vehicles ready for commercial use.
This partnership is particularly important for Volvo, as it’s the second time they’ve teamed up with a startup to create self-driving trucks. Earlier in May 2024, Volvo worked with another company called Aurora Innovation to introduce a new self-driving model known as the Volvo VNL Autonomous truck.
In this new partnership, Waabi will be using the same type of truck that Volvo is building, but it will be equipped with Waabi’s advanced technology. This includes special sensors, computing systems, and the software known as the Waabi Driver, which is designed to help the truck drive itself.
Raquel Urtasun, the founder and CEO of Waabi, expressed her excitement about the partnership, stating, “We now have everything we need to scale our product.” She explained that Waabi has developed a new generation of technology that is more efficient in terms of costs and quicker to bring to market.
Waabi plans to start testing these self-driving trucks in Texas in the coming months, with a goal to showcase a fully driverless demonstration on public roads by the end of 2025. Following that, they aim to launch a commercial service that allows trucks to operate directly between customer locations without needing to stop at terminals.
Urtasun, who has a background in artificial intelligence (AI) from her previous role at Uber, believes that the AI models Waabi has created can think and reason more like humans. This capability is expected to speed up the process of deploying self-driving trucks and create a more efficient system overall. She noted that a more advanced AI would need less data and computing power to understand and respond to its surroundings.
Waabi has been using simulation technology not only to test and refine its self-driving systems but also to design trucks that can integrate seamlessly with existing manufacturing processes. In 2022, Waabi introduced its first specially designed truck, which includes all the necessary technology built directly into it during production.
In contrast, a competitor named Kodiak Robotics has developed a self-driving system that is not tied to a specific truck manufacturer and includes additional backup systems. However, Urtasun prefers to integrate Waabi’s technology directly into the manufacturing process of trucks, ensuring that it doesn’t disrupt the assembly line.
Urtasun believes that this direct integration is the best way to create a safe and reliable self-driving product.
The partnership with Volvo builds on their previous investment in Waabi made two years ago through Volvo Group Venture Capital. Volvo will manufacture the trucks for Waabi at its facility in Virginia, with the first few trucks expected to roll off the assembly line in 2025. Urtasun anticipates that it will take about two to three years to reach a level of production that can meet high demand.
During this time, Urtasun emphasized the importance of being financially efficient in the industry. She believes that Waabi’s approach, which prioritizes AI development, means they will need significantly less funding to launch their driverless service compared to other companies in the field.
So far, Waabi has raised $282 million to support its efforts, while its main competitors, Aurora and Kodiak, have raised $3.46 billion and $243 million, respectively. Aurora plans to start its driverless trucking operations by April, and Kodiak recently delivered its first autonomous trucks to a commercial partner for off-road use.
Urtasun remarked, “2025 is the year of trucking; it’s a make it or break it situation,” suggesting that the upcoming year will be crucial for the industry, and she foresees potential consolidations among companies.
The landscape is changing rapidly, with fewer players remaining in the market after companies like Embark and TuSimple closed down and Waymo paused its own self-driving truck projects.
When asked if Waabi was considering merging with or acquiring another company, Urtasun firmly stated, “Absolutely not. Trucking is only the beginning. We’re going to do so much more than trucking — robotaxis, warehouse robotics. I have tremendously big plans for the company, and we are going to remain a fully independent company.”
