Shares of Aurora Innovation (AUR), a leading autonomous driving technology company, skyrocketed by 30.92% in pre-market trading on Tuesday, following the announcement of a strategic partnership with chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA) and automotive supplier Continental.
The long-term collaboration aims to accelerate the deployment of driverless trucks at commercial scale, leveraging Nvidia's cutting-edge DRIVE Thor system-on-chip (SoC) and software platform. Aurora's autonomous driving system, known as the Aurora Driver, will be integrated with Nvidia's DRIVE Thor and DriveOS, with Continental set to mass-manufacture the combined solution starting in 2027.
This alliance positions Aurora at the forefront of the autonomous trucking industry, paving the way for the widespread adoption of self-driving technology in the logistics and transportation sectors. Aurora plans to launch its driverless trucking service in Texas as early as April 2025, marking a crucial milestone in the commercialization of autonomous vehicles.