Aurora Innovation, Inc. recently announced the expansion of it partnership with a major carrier, and the beginning of driverless deliveries with a private fleet.
Aurora announced Dubuque, Iowa-based carrier Hirschbach Motor Lines, plans to acquire 500 Aurora Driver-powered trucks. The final deal will enable the carrier to aggressively scale its national network with 500 million driverless miles, while establishing a multi-year revenue stream for Aurora valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
At the same time, Aurora announced it would begin driverless deliveries in Texas for the McLane Company, a major wholesale distributor to convenience stores, mass merchants and chain restaurants.
“The Aurora Driver will provide consistent 24/7 service to our customers, making it an important growth lever for our business,” said Richard Stocking, CEO of Hirschbach Motor Lines. “But autonomy isn’t just a business move – it’s a quality-of-life investment for our people. The Aurora Driver will handle the lengthier, less desirable routes, providing our drivers with greater flexibility. It’s a win-win.”
”When early adopters see the benefits the Aurora Driver delivers for their business and their drivers, they don’t just stay the course – they scale quickly,” said Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO of Aurora. “We’ve been lucky to have such a thoughtful and innovative partner since our early days and we look forward to growing with them. The industry is primed for this product, and our momentum toward meaningful commercial revenue is hitting a new gear.”
Hirschbach agreed to purchase 500 Aurora Driver-powered trucks with delivery beginning in 2027. The carrier will subscribe to Aurora’s Driver as a Service (DaaS) model. Customers have control and ownership over assets in DaaS, allowing them to maximize total cost of ownership savings while Aurora benefits from an expected high-margin and capital-efficient business, according to a statement from Aurora.
The two companies said the 500 trucks will be deployed across Aurora’s network with a focus on high-volume routes between customer facilities in the Sun Belt and beyond. In fact, Aurora recently transitioned to driverless deliveries to Laredo, Texas to support one of Hirschbach’s key customers.
The carrier is also a key customer on Aurora’s 1,000-mile route between Fort Worth and Phoenix, an important link for the carrier’s coast-to-coast business. To date, the Aurora Driver has driven more than 800,000 miles while delivering over 2,000 loads for Hirschbach, according to the company.
Hirschbach’s expansion strategy anchors on a hybrid network where autonomous trucks handle long-haul routes, allowing traditional drivers to focus on shorter hauls that get them home daily.
Aurora, McLane expand partnership
Aurora Innovation, Inc. and McLane Company, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) subsidiary, recently announced their agreement to begin driverless hauls in Texas with the Aurora Driver.T
“The business of moving food is essential to our economy and our way of life. With a 134-year legacy, McLane is deeply woven into the American distribution industry,” said Ossa Fisher, president at Aurora. “We’re excited to enter the next chapter with McLane and transform the American food supply chain with autonomous trucks. Our collective momentum in logistics is palpable.”
The companies began a upervised autonomy pilot in 2023. Since then, the Aurora Driver logged over 280,000 autonomous miles in Texas and delivered 1,400 loads for McLane.
Based on Aurora’s record of safely delivering goods for McLane with 100% on-time performance, McLane approved the transition to driverless operations between Dallas and Houston, the companies said. Aurora said it plans to expand to new routes between McLane distribution centers across the U.S. Sun Belt by the end of the year, with plans to serve additional McLane business in the future.
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