Aurora secures $820 million in funding to commercially launch its autonomous tech and beyond
Autonomous technology developer Aurora says it now has enough money to commercially launch its holistic system of self-driving products next year, thanks to a fresh round of public and private funding totaling $820 million. Following the news, Aurora CEO Chris Urmson posted a blog detailing why Wall Street believes in the company and how it intends to use that cash to deliver.
Aurora is an autonomous vehicle and adjacent technology company we have watched evolve over the years with a lot of excitement. Several notable automakers have invested and collaborated with the company over that span, including the likes of Toyota, Peterbilt, and Uber Freight.
In 2019, Aurora acquired LiDAR company called Blackmore, enabling it to begin developing a sensing suite finally capable of safely operating large trucks autonomously at high speeds. Since 2020, Aurora has been deploying Class 8 trucks integrated with its Aurora Driver technology containing the proprietary LiDAR. This led to a reunion with former partner Volvo, who has integrated the Aurora driver into its own trucks.
Last we spoke of Aurora, it was demonstrating the capabilities of its Driver technology, including how safe and intuitive it is, even in inclement weather conditions.
As the company looks to launch self-driving trucks as a service called “Aurora Horizon” in 2024, it has now secured the massive funding needed to get it there… and beyond.
Aurora funded through 2025 to develop autonomous tech
After an upsized public offering of common stock earlier this week, Aurora Tweeted that its public and private equity funding round successfully garnered $820 million. The company shared a coinciding blog post written by CEO Chris Urmson, who was able to share more details regarding the capital raise. Per the post:
We are fortunate to have incredible partners in the capital markets. Throughout Aurora’s history and in this most recent fundraise, we have had incredibly strong support from top-tier institutional investors, both existing and new, as well as strategic partners. The backing of these investors is a testament to our progress and potential.
We’re all living through an uncertain time in the financial markets. Despite some thaw, investors continue to be very cautious with their clients’ money, wanting an extra degree of conviction to make a big bet. It’s part of why we’re proud to be able to raise the better part of a billion dollars to continue our mission. Investors see what we see – an incredible and unique opportunity to do something important and valuable in the world.
From where I sit, there are several things that make Aurora special and I suspect these are some of the things that have resonated with our investors.
Urmson cites a relentless focus on the company mission, depth and breadth of talent, and a series of strategic business decisions and investments as the reason for Aurora’s growth to date as well as potential evidence why investors may not be as weary to open their wallets in a nascent but indefinite segment in autonomous driving.
Last year, Aurora shared the roadmap seen above, detailing each milestone it’s planning to ensure it can deliver safe autonomous technology to market efficiently and has so far hit every target. Urmson relayed that the fresh funding gives the company plenty of runway to reach its planned commercial launch of Aurora Driver next year and well into 2025. Per the CEO:
We hit our most significant benchmark – Feature Complete – at the end of Q1 2023 and are now charging toward our Aurora Driver Ready milestone at the end of this year. When we achieve Aurora Driver Ready, we’ll have confidence that the Aurora Driver could safely haul freight between Dallas and Houston without a human behind the wheel, setting us up for our commercial launch next year.
Sharing a transparent, concrete timeline and executing against it, builds our confidence internally, and with our investors and other stakeholders.
This is definitely a company to watch, so trust that we will keep you in the loop as it continues to check off milestones on its (driverless) roadmap.
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Chevron is not seeing signs that the U.S. is close to a recession even as President Donald Trump’s tariffs weigh on expectations for oil demand, CEO Mike Wirth said Tuesday.
“There’s no signs that we see at this point that we are in or close to a recession,” Wirth told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “There are signs that growth may be slowing and we have to always be prepared for that.”
The International Monetary Fund on Monday cut its growth outlook for the U.S. this year to 1.8%, down from 2.7% previously.
The oil market is expecting reduced demand as a consequence of Trump’s tariffs and the decision by OPEC+ increase production faster than expected, Wirth said. Chevron isn’t changing its capital spending plans in response to drop in prices, the CEO said.
U.S. crude oil prices have fallen about 11% since Trump announced his tariffs on April 2. West Texas Intermediate was last up about 72 cents at $63.80 per barrel. OPEC and the International Energy Agency have cut their demand outlooks for this year.
Wirth said U.S. onshore oil production in patches like the Permian Basin is likely to pull back if prices hit $60 per barrel. Offshore production likely won’t be affected, he said.
“That’s an area where if we were to be at a $60 price or even lower you’re likely to see activity pull back in this sector and you’ll see the production response over a few months,” Wirth said. “That’s what we should watch, not so much the deep water activity.”
Chevron is not expecting a major direct impact on its business from Trump’s tariffs as energy has largely been exempt from the levies, Wirth said.
“The effects that we feel are likely to be more the macroeconomic effects as they flow through the economy,” Wirth said. “The bigger issues would be what would it mean for growth, and global trade and how does that evolve.”
Executives at oil and gas companies were scathing in their criticism of Trump’s tariffs in an anonymous March survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, warning that steel tariffs were raising their costs and low prices could impact their activity.
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Little is known about super-secretive EV startup Slate, but the fledgling brand is rumored to be backed by Jeff Bezos and determined to shake up the existing electric order with an affordable lineup of compact SUVs and pickups with that golden $25,000 price tag.
Now, at least, we know what it’s gonna look like. The battle of the billionaires is on!
Redditor jonjopop over at the spotted subreddit spotted what looks like an early prototype of an unbranded SUV with bizarre “CryShare” wrap. CryShare, as a concept, seems to combine the functionality of a ride sharing app like Uber or Lyft with the familiar (to parent, anyway) idea that small babies will often sleep better in a moving car than in their own cribs … but that’s not what’s important here.
Instead, focus on the vehicle itself – parked on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Los Angeles without explanation or fanfare, this is our best look yet at the kind of vehicle(s) Slate is likely to reveal in the coming days.
Stumbled upon the Bezosmobile [Slate Automotive…idk?] being revealed with an absolutely bizarre marketing campaign
byu/jonjopop inspotted
Other local automotive journalists caught wind of the public unveiling, too – and our friends at The Autopian (Hi, Matt!) sent their own David Tracy out on the streets of LA to check it out. Tracy took the following video and posted it to Instagram.
The Slate breaking cover and causing buzz just ahead of what’s sure to be a painful Q1 earnings call for Tesla is a masterstroke of marketing – especially as doubts surrounding the viability of a “less expensive” Tesla Model Y or Model 3 continue to mount amid the uncertainty of Trump’s tariffs and declining sales of the brand’s more profitable models both at home and abroad.
As with so much involving Slate, however, there is nothing here written in stone – or even cast in cheese. Nothing has been announced, nothing is promised, and for all we know this might have more to do with the affordable Rivian brand launch, a new BYD, or be a viral marketing bit from some local Art Center design student in (relatively) nearby Pasadena. In fact, about the only thing I think we can say about Bezos (?) new Slate project with confidence today is this: Elon could probably use that drink.
SOURCES | IMAGES: Reddit, The Autopian.
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