Toronto-based autonomous truck startup Waabi has unveiled a self-driving system for commercial vehicles.
The launch signifies that Waabi is ready to verify and validate its self-driving system and is open for business.
Company founder and chief executive Raquel Urtasun said the system, called Driver Waabi, combines AI-driven navigation with an array of sensors including laser-based lidar, cameras and radar to help orient the trucks.
According to Raquel Urtasun, the system can be integrated into vehicles at the factory level without disrupting OEM assembly lines.
Urtasun said one of the big advantages of the company’s self-driving system is the high-fidelity simulators made by Waabi that can teach autonomous drivers many real-world scenarios before they are launched.
The startup was launched last June with the vision of bringing a new generation of autonomous driving to market, which takes an AI-first approach. In February, Waabi revealed Waabi World, a closed-loop simulator that virtually tests Waabi’s self-driving software and teaches it in real time. Urtasun believes Waabi’s training and testing strategy will allow the company to scale autonomous trucks faster than competitors.
Urtasun said the truck testing the Waabi system will feature drivers and safety engineers, with initial road use focused on the United States.
While the company’s business model is still evolving, executives said Waabi will likely enter the market on a driver-as-a-service model – Waabi will work with OEMs to integrate Waabi Drivers and will sell its services to fleets and shippers.
Waabi is focused on completing medium-haul trucks, where he believes self-driving technology will first be applied on a large scale.
