# Autonomous Ambitions: Aurora’s Driverless Trucks Hit the Road, While Canoo Attracts a Last-Minute Savior

## Autonomous Ambitions: Aurora’s Driverless Trucks Hit the Road, While Canoo Attracts a Last-Minute Savior

TechCrunch Mobility is back, bringing you the latest developments in the rapidly evolving world of transportation. Today, we’re diving into two significant stories: Aurora Innovation’s ambitious launch of its driverless commercial trucking service, and a surprising twist in Canoo’s ongoing bankruptcy saga.

After a slight delay, Aurora has officially launched the United States’ first fully autonomous commercial trucking service this April. The company has wasted no time, clocking over 1,200 miles of freight transportation this week alone, operating between Dallas and Houston. Their initial launch customers include Hirschbach Motor Lines and Uber Freight. Currently, the service operates with a single truck, but Aurora has grand plans for expansion, aiming to build “tens of self-driving trucks” and extend its reach to El Paso and Phoenix by the end of 2025. This progress marks a major milestone, both for Aurora and the broader autonomous vehicle industry.

However, the timing raises questions. With escalating tariffs causing disruptions in shipping, can Aurora capitalize on the demand for efficient transportation, or will these external pressures hinder its progress? The answer remains to be seen.

**Deals in Motion:**

Beyond autonomous trucking, the mobility sector has seen a flurry of dealmaking activity.

* **AeroVironment** has finalized its $4.1 billion acquisition of BlueHalo, merging the drone maker with a space and defense engineering company. The new entity, dubbed AV, aims to build tech across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains.
* **True Anomaly**, a defense-focused aerospace startup specializing in spacecraft and software for U.S. national security, has secured $260 million in a Series C round led by Accel.

**Notable Developments in Autonomous and Electric Vehicles:**

* **May Mobility** is partnering with **Uber** to deploy its autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform starting in Arlington, Texas, by the end of 2025.
* Chinese AV startup **Momenta** is also collaborating with **Uber**, planning to launch robotaxis in Europe in 2026.
* **Waymo** and **Toyota** are exploring a potential partnership to develop a new self-driving vehicle for ride-hailing and personal use.
* In the electric vehicle space, **Canoo’s** bankruptcy proceedings have taken an unexpected turn with a London-based investor offering $20 million for the EV startup’s assets, surpassing the CEO’s bid. This investor has asked a judge to halt the sale of Canoo’s assets to its CEO, calling it a “flawed process.”
* **Rivian** is reportedly well-positioned to weather tariff impacts due to a stockpile of tariff-free batteries acquired before and after Donald Trump’s election.
* **Slate Auto**, the new EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, is considering a former printing plant in Warsaw, Indiana, as the production site for its affordable electric truck.
* Reports suggest that **Tesla’s** board has been considering potential successors to CEO Elon Musk, however, Tesla chair Robyn Denholm denied the reporting.
* **Tesla** board member Joe Gebbia has notably purchased 4,000 shares of Tesla stock, valued at $1 million.

**Miscellaneous Mobility News:**

* **Ford** has discontinued its FNV4 software architecture initiative, abandoning its plan to vertically integrate vehicle software across its gasoline and electric vehicle lineups.
* **Joby Aviation** successfully transitioned its eVTOL from horizontal to vertical flight with a pilot on board, a crucial step toward FAA certification.

**Ride-Hailing and Delivery Updates:**

* **DoorDash** is seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by **Uber**, accusing DoorDash of anti-competitive behavior. DoorDash claims the lawsuit is a scare tactic from Uber to stifle competition.

This week in mobility showcases a landscape of innovation, strategic partnerships, and ongoing challenges. As Aurora pushes the boundaries of autonomous trucking and Canoo seeks a potential rescue, the industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace.