This partnership is significant as it brings Waabi closer to a commercial launch of their technology.
Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO of Waabi, stated that the company now possesses the necessary technology and strategy for scaling its product efficiently and rapidly.
Waabi claims to have next-generation AV 2.0 technology, which is more capital efficient and provides a faster path to market.
Urtasun believes 2025 is a crucial year for the trucking industry, with potential for consolidation as several competitors have exited the market.
To date, Waabi has raised $282 million, significantly less than competitors Aurora and Kodiak, which have raised $3.46 billion and $243 million respectively.
Waabi, a self-driving truck startup, has partnered with Volvo Autonomous Solutions to develop and deploy autonomous trucks.
In December 2024, Volvo began autonomous freight operations on routes between Dallas and Houston and Fort Worth and El Paso in collaboration with DHL Supply Chain.
Waabi first entered Texas in 2023, conducting trips between Dallas and Houston through a partnership with Uber Freight, and plans to expand testing further this year.
Following the demonstration of fully driverless trucks anticipated by the end of 2025, a fully operational driverless service is expected to launch soon after.
The autonomous trucking industry is seen as a potential solution to reduce transportation times and address workforce challenges, including driver shortages.
Consultancy McKinsey & Co. estimates that the global market for autonomous trucks could reach $616 billion by 2035, with the U.S. market alone valued at approximately $178 billion.
Waabi employs simulation technology for testing and training its driving technology and for designing trucks for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) integration.
