Aurora Innovation aims to alleviate challenges in the freight industry using self-driving technology, starting with the I-45 corridor between Dallas and Houston, according to an Electronic Design article. In it they say,

 

“Today’s freight industry is strained by a combination of network inefficiency, labor shortages, collisions, hours of service limitations, and driver turnover. Commercial trucking companies such as Aurora Innovation believe self-driving technology can address these challenges.

 

The question is where to start. Aurora thinks one answer is the I-45 corridor between Dallas and Houston, which is one of the busiest commercial routes in the southwest with nearly half of all truck freight in Texas moving along it. The company is preparing the industry’s first “lane” for driverless trucks supported by commercial-ready terminals in Dallas and Houston. The autonomous lane on I-45 will not be a separate lane—it’s on the actual highway.”

 

In collaboration with Continental, Aurora has completed the design for the Aurora Driver, a Level 4 autonomous driving system, set for production in 2027, according to a Dallas Innovates article. They report,

 

“In partnership with Continental—which is based in Germany with a U.S. HQ in Auburn Hills, Michigan—Aurora says the two companies have finalized the design and architecture of the future fallback system and hardware of the Aurora Driver—an SAE Level 4 autonomous driving system—that Continental plans to start production of in 2027.

 

The finalized hardware design comes less than a year after the companies entered an “industry-first partnership” aimed at high-volume manufacturing of autonomous trucking systems.”

Aurora emphasizes a dual engineering approach to enhance system reliability, minimizing potential single points of failure for both main and fallback systems. CEO Chris Urmson highlights the strategic partnership’s importance for long-term success.