Aurora Innovation Inc., a Silicon Valley-based autonomous-driving startup with at least a $10 billion valuation, has agreed to a long-term strategic partnership with Toyota Motor Corp. and its supplier Denso Corp. that aims to mass produce autonomous vehicles and launch them on ride-hailing networks, including Uber’s, over the next few years.
The first model that will be equipped with the Aurora Driver, the company’s hardware, software and sensor suite, is the Toyota Sienna minivan, with testing of an initial fleet to begin this year. Toyota, which overtook Volkswagen AG as the world’s top-selling automaker in 2020, is also an investor in Uber Technologies Inc. and has a formidable brand that has long been associated with high volume manufacturing and safety. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Toyota will gain an observer seat on Aurora’s board.
"This is a really exciting set of developments,” said Sterling Anderson, Aurora’s Chief Product Officer, in an interview. The company is a key player in the intensely competitive self-driving vehicle industry. "We’re partnering with the largest automaker and the largest ride hailing network. It’s not just the development of the vehicle, but development of the service.”