Aurora, Toyota, and Denso Partner for Self-Driving Minivans

Aurora, Toyota, and Denso Collaborate on Self-Driving Vehicle Development

A collaborative agreement has been established between Aurora, Toyota, and automotive parts manufacturer Denso to facilitate the development and rigorous testing of vehicles incorporating Aurora’s autonomous technology. Initial efforts will center around a fleet of Toyota Sienna minivans.

Joint Engineering Efforts

Engineering personnel from both Aurora and Toyota will collaborate in the design and construction of these self-driving Sienna minivans. Testing of the fleet is anticipated to commence before the close of 2021, as announced by the companies on Tuesday.

Background of the Partnership

This announcement builds upon Aurora’s recent acquisition of Uber Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), which initially emerged as a separate entity from Uber in 2019 following a $1 billion investment from Toyota, Denso, and SoftBank’s Vision Fund. The acquisition, finalized on January 20th, involved Uber transferring its equity in ATG and contributing a $400 million investment to Aurora.

Currently, Uber maintains a 26% ownership stake in the newly formed combined company. A minority stake in Aurora is also held by Toyota as a consequence of this acquisition.

Similarities to Previous Agreements

The newly announced partnership shares similarities with a prior agreement reached in 2018 between Toyota and Uber. This earlier collaboration aimed to introduce an on-demand, autonomous ride-hailing service.

Under that previous arrangement, which included a $500 million investment from Toyota, the integration of Uber ATG’s self-driving technology into Toyota Sienna minivans was planned for use within Uber’s ride-hailing network. The vehicles were also envisioned for potential operation by independent fleet managers.

A New, Distinct Partnership

Sterling Anderson, co-founder and chief product officer at Aurora, clarified that this current collaboration represents a new partnership, distinct from any previous agreements Toyota held with Uber ATG.

Collaboration Details Remain Undisclosed

Both Toyota and Aurora have refrained from disclosing specific details regarding the collaboration, such as team size or potential financial incentives. This lack of transparency makes it challenging to fully assess the scope of the partnership.

Long-Term Vision and Ambitious Goals

Aurora characterizes this as a long-term strategic alliance, outlining an extensive vision that extends beyond initial testing phases. The collaborative development work planned for 2021 is intended to establish a foundation for the mass production and subsequent launch of these vehicles with Toyota, integrated into ride-hailing networks, including Uber’s.

Furthermore, Aurora intends to explore the mass production of autonomous driving components in conjunction with Denso, and the development of a comprehensive services platform alongside Toyota. This platform could encompass financing, insurance, and maintenance solutions for the self-driving vehicles.

Importance of Downstream Services

Anderson highlighted the increasing importance of developing commercial downstream services, such as fleet management, particularly following Aurora’s agreement with trucking company PACCAR and now, Toyota.

“The essential components are a vehicle, a driver, and supporting services,” Anderson stated in a recent interview. “Our exploration with Toyota centers on the large-scale deployment of Toyota-manufactured vehicles, powered by the Aurora Driver, and supported by a combination of Aurora’s services and Toyota’s extensive network. Toyota’s scale is a significant advantage for us.”

Challenges and Uncertainties

The journey from testing to full commercialization is complex, presenting numerous potential obstacles. These include technical and regulatory hurdles, competition for skilled personnel, and the need to secure substantial funding. Success is not guaranteed, as operating an autonomous ride-hailing network presents its own unique challenges.

Despite these challenges, securing a partnership with a major automaker remains a crucial step for Aurora.

Toyota’s Strengths

“Toyota possesses an exceptional legacy, engineering prowess, leadership, and a proven ability to deliver vehicles that are high-quality, affordable, and reliable,” stated Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO of Aurora, in a blog post published on Tuesday. “As the preferred vehicle brand for ride-hailing services, we are enthusiastic and honored to collaborate with them to unlock the potential of driverless mobility with the Aurora Driver.”

Urmson also emphasized that Aurora’s ongoing development of highway driving capabilities, intended for its initial commercial product – a driverless truck – will be equally vital for the safe transportation of passengers, given that a substantial portion of ride-share trips currently require speeds exceeding 50 mph.