Introduction
The autonomous vehicle industry is booming. You’ve probably heard all about the major players—Tesla, Uber, Waymo—but there are many others worth keeping an eye on as well. Here’s a rundown of some of the most exciting startups in this space:
Arrivo
Arrivo is a startup that is developing a self-driving bus. The company is working to create a vehicle that will be able to drive itself and pick up passengers, then take them to their destination and then return to pick up more passengers.
The idea behind Arrivo’s autonomous bus service is that it provides mobility for people who don’t have access to transportation or are unable to drive themselves around town. If you’re elderly or disabled, you could use this service as an alternative way for getting around town without having to rely on others for help with transportation needs!
Aurora
Aurora is a self-driving startup that’s building AI software and hardware to enable fully autonomous vehicles. Founded by Chris Urmson, who previously led Google’s self-driving car program, Aurora has raised $530 million in Series B funding from investors like Sequoia Capital, Stripes Group and Daimler Trucks & Buses.
The company recently acquired robotics startup May Mobility for an undisclosed amount as part of its plan to create an “open platform” for autonomous vehicle developers around the world. Aurora also acquired Movimento Technology Solutions Inc., a Canadian computer vision company that specializes in mapping technology for autonomous vehicles at low cost (think LIDAR).
It’s easy to see why these acquisitions make sense: Aurora wants its partners’ expertise when it comes time for automakers or other companies interested in using its technology–which includes both software and hardware–to integrate their own products into existing fleets of driverless cars being operated by ride hailing services such as Lyft or Uber Technologies Inc., both of which have partnered with Aurora since its founding two years ago.
Zoox
Zoox is a self-driving car company that has raised $1.6 billion in funding and has been valued at more than $4 billion. The startup’s technology is designed for urban environments, as opposed to highways or suburbs, which makes it different from its competitors’ focus on long-range autonomous driving. Zoox’s goal is to create an entirely new experience with its self-driving vehicles: passengers will sit in a bubble-like cabin that can be configured however you want it–like a conference room or hotel room–and there are no controls needed because everything happens automatically within the car itself.
Zoox also plans to build out its own city where people will live, work and play without ever needing an actual human driver behind the wheel (or any other human being at all).
Peloton Technology
Peloton Technology is a startup that’s building a fleet of autonomous delivery vehicles. The company says its vehicles will be able to deliver packages, groceries and takeout food. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Nuro
Nuro is a self-driving vehicle company that was founded by two former Google engineers. The company’s mission is to build a fleet of autonomous vehicles designed for local delivery, which will run as part of a service called R1.
Nuro’s vehicles have no steering wheel or pedals, allowing them to travel at high speeds and navigate complex environments safely. These cars are designed to deliver groceries within cities, so they can’t travel outside their designated areas–which means you’ll need access to an area with good infrastructure and lots of pedestrians!
Optimus Ride
Optimus Ride is a startup that makes autonomous shuttles. The company was founded in 2017 and is based in California, with additional offices in San Francisco and Detroit.
The company has raised $10 million in funding to date, including from Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Sequoia Capital. In addition to its own funding, Optimus Ride also has partnerships with the University of Michigan and Toyota Motor Corporation.
Katerra
Katerra is a construction company that uses technology to create prefabricated homes. It’s building a factory in the US that will make homes, and it has plans to build more factories all over the world.
Katerra’s factory will be built in California, which has been friendly towards autonomous vehicles so far (it even passed legislation allowing them). The company hopes that its new factory will help make it easier for people who want to live in an area where there are no available houses or apartments but still want access to public transportation or other amenities found in urban centers.
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT)
The Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) is a company that’s working on bringing the hyperloop to life. The hyperloop is a high-speed transportation system that would use magnetic levitation in a vacuum tube to move pods at speeds of up to 700 mph.
In 2016, HTT was granted permission from the government of Slovakia to build their first full-scale test track there and conduct tests using air bearing skis instead of wheels or tracks; this decision was made because Slovakia has no mountains or hills for testing purposes, making it an ideal place for HTT’s initial tests.
There’s a lot to look forward to in the autonomous vehicle space.
There’s a lot to look forward to in the autonomous vehicle space. The world of autonomous vehicles is becoming more accessible, with companies like Uber and Lyft providing rides for people all around the world.
But there are also startups that are making huge strides in this industry, making it easier for us all to get around without having to drive ourselves or take public transportation every day.
Conclusion
There’s a lot to look forward to in the autonomous vehicle space. The companies we’ve covered here are just some of the ones that are making progress in this area, but there are also many others that have yet to be mentioned. We hope you found this article helpful and informative!
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