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Aurora launches commercial driverless trucks in Texas as co-founder Sterling Anderson announces resignation.
Aurora launches commercial driverless trucks in Texas as co-founder Sterling Anderson announces resignation.
Aurora Innovation reported its first-quarter 2025 earnings this week, marking a pivotal moment in the company’s journey as it officially launched commercial self-driving truck operations on Texas highways. The announcement underscores Aurora’s transition from development to deployment, even as co-founder Sterling Anderson prepares to depart.
Aurora’s results and shareholder letter were released Wednesday, along with a webcast earnings call. CEO Chris Urmson emphasized the milestone: “Aurora’s self-driving trucks are now hauling commercial freight on Texas roads. Autonomous freight is no longer just a vision—it’s a reality.”
The company’s trucks, powered by its proprietary Aurora Driver system, are now operating driverless freight routes between Dallas and Houston, the first of their kind on U.S. public roads. The launch positions Aurora as a front-runner in the autonomous trucking sector, joining a small group of companies progressing beyond testing phases.
Alongside earnings, Aurora disclosed that co-founder and Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson will resign effective June 1 and leave the board by August 31. His departure follows Aurora’s successful launch of its commercial driverless trucking service last month.
In a statement during the earnings call, Anderson reflected on his decision:
“Leaving Aurora is one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made, especially given the exciting stage Aurora is at. The technology is on the road, the team is in place to scale it, and the momentum we’ve created in the industry is palpable.”
Aurora noted in a regulatory filing that Anderson’s resignation was not due to any disagreement with the company’s policies or practices. He is set to join an undisclosed "iconic global company" in a senior leadership role. Though some are still nonetheless shocked by the sudden departure amid such a boom period for the company.
Anderson co-founded Aurora in 2017 alongside Urmson and Drew Bagnell, bringing together leading talent from Tesla, Google’s self-driving unit, and Uber ATG. His exit marks the departure of one of the company’s original architects as it moves into commercial operations.
Aurora has evolved rapidly since its founding. In 2020, the company acquired Uber’s self-driving unit, and in 2021 it went public through a SPAC merger with Reinvent Technology Partners Y. Despite challenges faced by the broader autonomous vehicle industry, Aurora has focused its resources on self-driving trucks, pausing its robotaxi ambitions.
The company’s first-quarter earnings continue to reflect a pre-revenue, development-stage profile, with cash burn and investment in scaling operations. The latest financial update can be found on its investor relations website at ir.aurora.tech.
Aurora plans to expand its Texas operations and eventually broaden its autonomous freight routes as part of its “driver-as-a-service” business model. The company’s industry partners include Uber Freight, Schneider, Ryder, PACCAR, Volvo Trucks, and Toyota.
Source: BusinessWire | TechCrunch
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