Waabi Innovation, a Toronto-based autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) company, recently announced a partnership with Volvo Trucks to accelerate the production of autonomous trucks in the U.S. and introduce the technology to Canada in the near future. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for Waabi as it seeks to revolutionize the autonomous driving sector, with both companies working together to develop a generative AI driving system for trucks and drive commercial scalability.
Since its founding, Waabi has been at the forefront of AI applications in autonomous driving, and CEO Raquel Urtasun emphasized that AI is now leading the way in various industries. "The trucking industry is poised to be the first sector where we will see robots applied on a large scale," Urtasun said. She further explained that Waabi's contribution to Volvo Trucks will be the "virtual driver" system, a core technology aimed at integrating AI into autonomous trucks for production.
Volvo's VNL Autonomous trucks are equipped with redundant systems as an additional safety measure to prevent issues in the primary system. Waabi's AI can comprehend and analyze real-time data to make precise driving decisions, continuously optimizing actions for fully autonomous driving. Urtasun explained that Waabi's AI system can not only capture subtle changes in the decision-making process but also leverage these insights to determine the best course of action.
Currently, Waabi is testing its autonomous commercial trucks in Texas and aims to achieve full autonomous driving by the end of 2024. Urtasun mentioned that the company expects it will take two to three years to officially launch the technology in Canada, as the country's regulatory framework must align with that of the U.S. to support the development. The trucks will be produced at Volvo's New River Valley facility in Virginia, which will also serve as a testing ground for Waabi's autonomous technology.
In addition, Waabi recently secured $200 million in Series B funding, with investors including Uber, Khosla Ventures, Volvo Group Venture Capital, Porsche SE, and Nvidia. This funding will help accelerate Waabi's ongoing research and development efforts, as well as expand its market reach.
With the deepening partnership between Volvo Trucks and Waabi, the future of autonomous trucks looks set to transform the logistics industry, bringing unprecedented efficiency to large retailers and transportation companies alike.
