What's Your Problem? From Desert Robots to Driverless Trucks
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Nov 6, 2025 
Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO of Aurora, has nearly two decades of experience in autonomous vehicles, including pioneering work at Google. He shares thrilling tales from the DARPA Challenge, including lessons from building a Humvee robot. The discussion dives into the future of autonomous trucking, focusing on the benefits of Class 8 long-haul vehicles, real-world testing milestones, and the intricate technology like new FMCW LiDAR. Urmson also reflects on his journey from Google to founding Aurora, highlighting the societal benefits of autonomy.
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Sensors Plus Compute Changed the Game
- Advances in cameras, LiDAR, radar, and compute transformed feasibility for autonomous vehicles.
- Combining richer sensors with more compute unlocked much better world understanding for driving systems.
Three Options When Leadership Falters
- If you lose confidence in leadership direction, either fix it, follow it, or step aside.
- Urmson left Google because he no longer believed he could lead the decisions needed for success.
Aurora’s Fork: From Cars To Trucks
- Aurora started in 2017 aiming to build a universal driver for cars and trucks with co-founders Sterling and Drew.
- They targeted trucking once they found a long-range FMCW LiDAR from Blackmore that could 'see far enough' for Class 8 trucks.