Self-Driving Coalition Announces Argo AI, Aurora and Nuro as Newest Members
Ford, Lyft, Uber, Volvo Cars & Waymo welcome new AV voices to the organization
Washington, D.C. - Argo AI, LLC, Aurora and Nuro, three of the leading companies in the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry, joined the Self-Driving Coalition on Tuesday, expanding the group’s diverse membership of innovative technology, ridesharing and automotive companies.
Founding members Ford, Lyft, Uber, Volvo Cars and Waymo established the Self-Driving Coalition in the spring of 2016 to work with lawmakers, regulators, and the public to realize the safety and societal benefits of autonomous vehicles. For almost four years the Coalition has been working with federal, state and local policymakers and other stakeholders on the right policy solutions to bring self-driving technology to America’s roads and highways.
“The Self-Driving Coalition welcomes Argo AI, Aurora and Nuro as three of the leading companies in the autonomous vehicle industry,” said Ariel Wolf, who serves as the Coalition’s counsel. “The Coalition brings together a unique and varied set of AV voices representative of self-driving technology’s many opportunities. Whether increasing safety on public roads, improving mobility for the elderly and disabled communities, or transforming the logistics industry, our members are committed to working with policymakers to make self-driving a reality for Americans.”
“Nuro’s mission is to accelerate the benefits of robotics for everyday life, so we are proud to join the Self-Driving Coalition and its members in pursuit of this goal––using self-driving vehicles to create safer roads,” said Dave Ferguson, Nuro Co-Founder and President. “We’ve custom-built our autonomous vehicles to prioritize the safety of other road users while delivering goods throughout neighborhoods and expanding the reach of local commerce. With safety as our top priority, we’re excited to work with the Coalition to bring the many benefits of self-driving services to more people today.” Nuro currently operates a commercial AV delivery service in Houston, and is testing vehicles in California and Arizona. Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued its first ever autonomous vehicle exemption to Nuro, allowing the company to produce and test their next-generation autonomous delivery vehicle, R2, with new safety innovations and without any occupants.
“Argo’s mission is to develop self-driving technology that will make getting around cities safer, easier, and more enjoyable. We look forward to working with the Coalition and other stakeholders on policies that promote safety, facilitate innovation, and cement the United States’ role as a global leader in the future of transportation technology,” said Pete Rander, co-founder and president of Argo AI. Argo is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based self-driving company with operations in Palo Alto, California; Austin, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; Miami, Florida; Princeton, New Jersey; and Washington, D.C.
“We lose tens of thousands of Americans every year on our roadways and that status quo is not acceptable. That’s why Aurora is working to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly and broadly,” said Gerardo Interiano, Head of Government Relations at Aurora. “We look forward to joining the Self-Driving Coalition as we focus on policy efforts that will make our roads safer while encouraging rapid innovation.” Founded by three of the leading experts in self-driving, Aurora tests its vehicles in the Bay Area and Pittsburgh. The company has offices in those areas and in Bozeman, Montana.
This announcement also comes as the Self-Driving Coalition submits a letter to the House Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce ahead of today’s hearing on autonomous vehicles. The letter provides an outline of the Coalition’s view on how Congress should address federal self-driving legislation, including expanding options for testing and deployment and clarifying the roles for federal and state government.