Autonomous technology developer, Waabi has partnered with Uber Freight to accelerate the scaled deployment of AI-powered autonomous trucks.
The agreement will couple the Waabi Driver with Uber Freight’s logistics platform and marketplace technology to deliver a driver-as-a-service solution. This solution will enable carriers to dynamically deploy the Waabi Driver to optimise asset utilisation throughout the supply chain.
This provision responds to the industry’s current challenges, which include an estimated 20-35% of miles being driven empty, alongside a shortage of truck drivers.
Furthermore, the use of autonomous vehicles is expected to enhance safety and help save lives. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2019, large truck crashes resulted in more than 5,000 fatalities in the US, while data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) indicates that 87% of large truck crashes involve human error.
Over the next ten years, the two companies plan to use the Waabi Driver across billions of miles on the Uber Freight network, with the first commercial loads operating between Dallas and Houston this week.
In the longterm, carriers with Waabi Driver-enabled trucks will be able to deploy their assets instantly on the Uber Freight network while benefitting from continuously optimised routes.
The Waabi Driver is currently the only autonomous trucking solution to be built around a foundation AI model. This allows the system to automatically learn from data and apply it to future scenarios, rather than requiring manual code adjustments.
Its development is rooted within the company’s Waabi World closed-loop simulator.
