Volvo Autonomous Solutions (VAS) has announced a significant partnership with AI startup Waabi to power the next generation of self-driving Class 8 trucks. This collaboration will integrate Waabi’s cutting-edge autonomous driving system (ADS) into Volvo’s VNL Autonomous trucks, marking a major milestone in the commercial deployment of autonomous freight transport.
Advancing Autonomous Trucking with AI
The partnership will commence with commercial pilots in Texas in 2025, where VAS is already engaged in freight movement for DHL Supply Chain. According to Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO of Waabi, this partnership provides a clear path for scaling the company’s technology to full driverless operation.
“Now Waabi has the full path to scale our technology,” Urtasun stated in an interview with FleetOwner. “We are launching driverless by the end of the year. We have a superior virtual driver that can scale much better than anybody else in the industry.”
Waabi differentiates itself from competitors by positioning its technology as a “next-generation AV 2.0” solution, employing innovative deep learning techniques to enhance its decision-making capabilities.
Waabi Driver: A New Approach to Autonomy
Waabi’s ADS, known as the Waabi Driver, is designed to achieve SAE Level 4 autonomy, meaning the vehicle can operate without human intervention under specific conditions. Unlike traditional AV systems, which rely heavily on manually engineered rules and extensive real-world testing, Waabi’s system leverages deep learning and simulation-driven development to accelerate deployment.
A notable feature of the Waabi Driver is its generative AI model, which allows the system to predict and respond to its surroundings dynamically. According to Urtasun, the model “learns about the world by generating that world,” much like how large language models predict words in a sentence. This capability enables the system to understand potential future scenarios and select the safest course of action in real time.
Another key advantage of the Waabi Driver is its interpretability and verifiability, meaning that its decision-making processes are transparent and its outcomes can be reliably assessed. These attributes are critical in ensuring regulatory compliance and fostering industry trust in autonomous trucking technology.
Volvo’s Strategic Investment in Waabi
The collaboration between Volvo and Waabi is not new. Volvo Group Venture Capital has been a strategic investor in Waabi since January 2023, later participating in the company’s $200 million Series B funding round. This investment underscores Volvo’s commitment to advancing autonomous transportation by supporting leading AI-driven innovations.
Volvo is integrating Waabi’s ADS directly into the Volvo VNL Autonomous at its New River Valley assembly plant in Virginia. While Volvo has also been working with Aurora to integrate its autonomous technology into the VNL Autonomous, it remains committed to a diversified approach to autonomy.
The Road Ahead
The initial commercial deployments in Texas will provide valuable insights into the scalability and reliability of the Waabi Driver in real-world freight operations. However, Volvo has not yet disclosed which carriers will participate in the program. As the industry continues to evolve, partnerships like this one between Volvo and Waabi are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of autonomous freight transport.
“Waabi is at the forefront of developing self-driving technologies leveraging the full power of AI,” said 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.”
With AI-driven advancements and a structured go-to-market strategy, Volvo and Waabi’s partnership is poised to accelerate the adoption of autonomous trucking, enhancing efficiency and safety in the logistics industry.