Luminar Technologies, Inc. and Daimler Truck AG have announced a strategic partnership to enable highly automated trucking, starting on highways.
Daimler and Torc Robotics, part of Daimler Trucks’ Autonomous Technology Group, will work with Luminar will work together to enhance lidar sensing, perception and system-level performance for Daimler trucks moving at highway speeds. In addition, Daimler Trucks has acquired a minority stake in Luminar.
The autonomous trucks are expected to yield improvements in efficiency and safety of logistics, with an initial focus on long-haul routes on highways, the companies say. This constrained application of autonomy enables the technology to be commercially deployed in series production sooner than urban autonomous driving development.
As part of their joint commitment to safety, the companies say they will also collaborate on safety standards and operating practices, and make future policy advancements and safety enhancements as a result of the joint program.
