Waabi, Volvo join forces to develop autonomous trucks

A white autonomous Volvo VNL truck and trailer with the Volvo and Waabi logos on.

Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Waabi, an AI company, entered a strategic partnership for the development and deployment of autonomous trucks, the companies announced Tuesday. 

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"At Waabi, we believe that vertically integrating next-generation AI technology directly into an OEM's vehicle production is the path forward to bring safe, robust autonomous vehicles to the road, at scale," says Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO of Waabi. "Volvo's leadership in safety, commitment to excellence in engineering, and investment in forward looking innovation makes them an ideal partner to realize the future of self-driving trucks everywhere." 

Waabi's virtual driver system, Waabi Driver, will be integrated into the Volvo VNL Autonomous, built at the company's New River Valley assembly plant in Virginia. The companies say they are committed to developing autonomous transportation solutions that prioritize safety, efficiency and sustainability. 

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"Waabi is at the forefront of developing self-driving technologies leveraging the full power of AI," says Shahrukh Kazmi, chief product officer at Volvo Autonomous Solutions. "We are excited to integrate Waabi's cutting-edge technology into our autonomous truck platform and work together to jointly develop a safe, efficient and scalable autonomous transport solution." 

Testing on the VNL Autonomous with Waabi Driver is set to begin later this year.

Volvo's Group Venture Capital became a strategic investor in Waabi in 2023, and later invested in the company's $200 million Series B round. 

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