Summary :
In a pivotal move signaling the next phase of autonomous trucking, Waabi—a Toronto-based self-driving truck startup—has appointed Lior Ron, co-founder of Otto and long-time CEO of Uber Freight, as its new Chief Operating Officer. Ron, who helped scale Uber Freight into a $5 billion-revenue powerhouse, will lead Waabi’s commercialization strategy and drive key partnerships as the company prepares to launch fully driverless trucks on public highways by the end of 2025.
Founded in 2021 by Raquel Urtasun, Waabi uses an “AI-first” development process, anchored by its virtual simulator platform, Waabi World. The company has raised nearly $289 million to date, with much of the funding coming from a major Series B round in 2024. Ron will continue as chairman at Uber Freight while fostering collaboration between the two companies, which already have an existing partnership. Waabi is also working closely with Volvo Autonomous Solutions for vehicle deployment.
Industry analysts view Ron’s arrival as a sign that Waabi is shifting from research and development toward large-scale commercial operations. This positions the company to compete head-to-head with established rivals like Aurora, which has already begun running driverless routes commercially.
