Aurora Rolls Out Driverless Trucking

Introduction Of Aurora

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your destination for all the latest news shaping the future of transportation. This week, I’m stepping in for Kirsten Korosec to take a closer look at two big stories — Aurora’s high-stakes launch and a curveball in Canoo’s bankruptcy drama.

Aurora’s Autonomous Trucking Dream Hits the Road

Aurora Innovation has officially launched what it calls the first commercial driverless trucking service in the U.S. — just barely making good on its promise to go live in April 2025.

After delaying its original debut, Aurora has begun hauling freight with a fully autonomous truck on a route between Dallas and Houston. The company says it has completed more than 1,200 miles of driverless freight transport this week with launch customers Hirschbach Motor Lines and Uber Freight.

For now, the operation consists of a single autonomous truck. But Aurora plans to scale quickly — aiming to deploy “tens” of self-driving trucks and expand service to El Paso and Phoenix by the end of 2025. The company will continue to run supervised autonomous trucks alongside this rollout to support growing freight demand.

This marks a significant step not only for Aurora, but for the broader autonomous trucking sector, which has seen its fair share of hype and setbacks over the years. However, looming supply chain disruptions — including potential shipping slowdowns due to new tariffs — could present new challenges.

Canoo Bankruptcy Gets a Plot Twist

Electric vehicle startup Canoo’s bankruptcy case just got a jolt. A mystery investor from London has emerged, asking a judge to halt the company’s asset sale to CEO Tony Aquila, calling the process “flawed.”

This surprise bidder has offered $20 million — a significant jump from Aquila’s $4 million offer. The court will now have to consider whether the deal deserves a second look, and if Canoo’s assets are worth more than originally assessed.

Deals and Dollars

• AeroVironment has acquired defense tech firm BlueHalo in a $4.1 billion all-stock deal. The merger forms a new powerhouse in multi-domain warfare tech — air, land, sea, space, and cyber.
• True Anomaly, a startup developing spacecraft and software for U.S. national security, just raised $260 million in Series C funding led by Accel.

Autonomy Updates

• May Mobility is joining Uber’s growing portfolio of AV partners. The two plan to deploy autonomous vehicles in Arlington, Texas by late 2025.
• Momenta, a Chinese AV company, is also linking up with Uber, with plans to launch robotaxis in Europe by 2026.
• Waymo and Toyota are reportedly exploring a potential collaboration that could lead to custom-built autonomous ride-hailing vehicles — and perhaps even consumer-ready AVs down the road.

EVs, Batteries & Charging Buzz

• Rivian is sitting on a large battery inventory it stockpiled before and after Trump’s return to the White House. That foresight could buffer it from the effects of new tariffs hitting the EV industry hard.
• Slate Auto, the stealthy EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, is reportedly eyeing a former printing plant in Warsaw, Indiana as the production site for its upcoming low-cost electric truck.
• Tesla is back in the spotlight. Reports suggest the company’s board has begun scouting for a successor to Elon Musk amid concerns about his political antics impacting the brand. Chair Robyn Denholm denies the claims. Meanwhile, board member Joe Gebbia just bought 4,000 Tesla shares — a rare move that raised eyebrows on Wall Street.

Odds and Ends

• Ford has shut down development on its next-gen FNV4 vehicle software platform, a once-critical project designed to compete with Tesla’s vertical integration of software and hardware.
• Joby Aviation successfully transitioned its eVTOL aircraft from horizontal to vertical flight — with a pilot on board. It’s a milestone on the road to FAA certification for commercial air taxi service.

Ride-Hailing and Delivery

• DoorDash is pushing back on a lawsuit from Uber, which claims DoorDash is locking restaurants into exclusive deals to stifle competition. DoorDash calls the suit a “scare tactic” and wants it tossed out.

That’s a wrap for this edition of TechCrunch Mobility. Questions, tips, or tea? You can reach out to us securely — or just email me at rebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com.

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