Waabi and Volvo Autonomous Solutions: developing autonomous trucks with generative AI

A strategic partnership between Waabi and Volvo Autonomous Solutions has been formalized to deploy the next-generation autonomous trucks.

A strategic partnership between Waabi, a Toronto-based technology company specializing in autonomous trucks, and Volvo Autonomous Solutions has been formalized. The goal of this alliance is the joint development and deployment of next-generation autonomous trucks, focusing on integrating Waabi’s innovations in generative artificial intelligence (AI) with Volvo’s autonomous truck, the Volvo VNL Autonomous.

The collaboration is based on a vertical integration, where Waabi’s virtual driver system (Waabi Driver) is directly incorporated into the Volvo VNL Autonomous, which features redundant systems ensuring safe autonomous operations. This partnership means that the trucks will leave the factory fully equipped and ready to operate, as explained by Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO of Waabi.

“We believe our technology should be vertically integrated into a platform created specifically for autonomous driving,” says Urtasun. In this context, Volvo handles the mechanical aspects of the vehicle, while Waabi continues to develop its Waabi Driver. Part of the evolution of the next generation of autonomous vehicles, known as AV 2.0.

The future of AV 2.0 and its impact on autonomous driving

The evolution of autonomous transportation is marked by the advancement of AV 2.0, a system that represents a significant leap from its predecessor, AV 1.0. While AV 1.0 relied on smaller AI models and human intervention in the development process, AV 2.0 features a single AI system capable of performing all necessary driving tests. Rather than requiring large human teams, AV 2.0 uses models such as Large Language Models (LLM) to design autonomous systems with a high degree of precision.

The computational power behind AV 2.0 is provided by advanced technology such as Nvidia Drive Thor hardware, which powers Waabi Driver. This system is capable of managing the vast amount of data needed to train autonomous vehicles, although Urtasun warns that due to the “black-box” nature of AV 2.0, verifying that systems are functioning correctly is a challenge with considerable economic implications.

Waabi World: a virtual brain for autonomous vehicles

One of Waabi’s key innovations is the development of Waabi Driver, a “brain” for autonomous vehicles. This brain is trained through an advanced simulator called Waabi World, which generates digital twins of the world and performs real-time tests, allowing Waabi Driver to learn to drive autonomously without human intervention. With this high-fidelity simulation, the system can correct errors and improve its performance as it learns from environmental conditions.

An example of Waabi Driver’s effectiveness was demonstrated during a test where the system successfully drove in the rain, a challenge for autonomous vehicles that had not been specifically trained for this scenario.

Looking ahead: tests in 2025 and Volvo’s investment

This move toward autonomous driving is complemented by Volvo’s strategic interest, as the company has invested in Waabi through Volvo Group Venture Capital. The collaboration materializes in the development of Waabi Driver for the Volvo VNL Autonomous, with the first road tests expected to take place in 2025.

By integrating its technology with the Volvo VNL, Waabi is laying the foundation for a new era of autonomous transportation, where generative AI will play a crucial role in the evolution of future commercial vehicles.