Paccar Partners for Autonomous Trucks

Jan. 20, 2021

Peterbilt- and Kenworth-branded autonomous trucks are the goal of a partnership between parent company Paccar and Aurora. The two will “develop, test, and commercialize” autonomous heavy trucks, according to an announcement from Paccar, through the integration of Paccar’s autonomous vehicle platform with the Aurora Driver.

In the strategic partnership, Paccar provides autonomous-enabled vehicles and aftermarket parts distribution, finance, and other transportation solutions. Aurora provides self-driving technology, including hardware, software, and operational services. Both partners will work closely together on all aspects of the collaboration, from component sourcing and vehicle technology to the integration of the Peterbilt and Kenworth vehicles with the Aurora Driver. The partnership also includes vehicle validation at the Paccar Technical Center and production support in Paccar factories.

Kenworth T680 and Peterbilt 579 trucks utilizing the Aurora Driver are expected to be deployed in North America in the next several years.

“PACCAR looks forward to partnering with Aurora because of their industry-leading autonomous driving technology and impressive team,” said Preston Feight, Paccar CEO, in a prepared statement. Chris Urmson, Aurora co-founder and CEO, said in a statement:

“Aurora is excited to take this next step in our collaboration with Paccar. Working together, we’ve been impressed with Paccar’s product engineering, manufacturing capabilities, and commitment to enhancing its customers’ operational safety and efficiency. This partnership brings us one step closer to unlocking the autonomous freight market and delivering goods to those who need them.”

Source: Paccar