Continental and Aurora Innovation, Inc. have joined forces in an exclusive partnership aimed at revolutionizing autonomous transport. This collaboration marks a significant milestone as it brings together Continental’s expertise in systems development for automotive solutions and Aurora’s cutting-edge hardware and software system, the Aurora Driver. The goal is to deliver the first commercially scalable generation of the Aurora Driver, catering specifically to the trucking industry.
Through this partnership, Continental and Aurora will jointly undertake the design, development, validation, delivery, and service of this scalable autonomous system. The vision is to make the technology readily available for carriers and commercial fleet operators across the United States. By leveraging Continental’s experience and know-how, the aim is to industrialize the Aurora Driver, creating a safer and more reliable solution.
The production of this groundbreaking system is expected to commence in 2027. However, prior to that, in 2024, Aurora plans to launch its subscription trucking service called Aurora Horizon, which will be underpinned by the Aurora Driver. This service will provide an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the autonomous system.
Aurora has already established partnerships with several industry leaders within the transportation ecosystem. Collaborations with Toyota, FedEx, Volvo Trucks, PACCAR, Uber, and Uber Freight US demonstrate the widespread recognition of Aurora’s technology.
Nikolai Setzer, CEO of Continental, expressed his pride in the partnership, stating, “At Continental, we are proud to demonstrate our leading technology expertise by being responsible for the development, manufacturing, and implementation of the autonomous driving system kits and the fallback path for Aurora’s autonomy system. In this exclusive partnership, we bundle our systems competence with Aurora’s industry-leading autonomous technology for our common goal to jointly realize the first commercially scalable autonomous trucking systems. A crucial step towards autonomous mobility.”
Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO of Aurora, emphasized the transformative potential of delivering autonomous vehicles at scale, stating, “Delivering autonomous vehicles at scale has the potential to dramatically transform modern transportation, bringing new accessibility, safety, and efficiency to the movement of goods and people.” Urmson further highlighted Continental’s suitability as a partner, citing their legacy in development and industrialization of automated driving systems, as well as their commitment to transforming transportation.
Frank Petznick, head of the Autonomous Mobility Business Area, acknowledged the limitations faced by the commercial freight market due to supply chain constraints in many parts of the world. However, he expressed optimism about the future, stating, “Continental and Aurora will bring the commercial freight market, limited by supply chain constraints in many markets of the world, to a new service level. The first commercially scalable autonomous trucking system provides exciting opportunities for passenger transportation in the coming years and paves the way for broad adoption of autonomous mobility.”
The partnership between Continental and Aurora holds tremendous promise for the advancement of autonomous technology in the trucking industry. Together, they aim to transform transportation by creating a commercially scalable autonomous trucking system that will enhance accessibility, safety, and efficiency in the movement of goods and people. With Continental’s systems competence and Aurora’s industry-leading autonomous technology, the future of autonomous mobility is set on a path of innovation and progress.
