Driverless Trucking Company Opens Massive New Facility In Montana

A driverless trucking company has opened a new research facility in Bozeman, Montana. The facility is located on Montana State University’s Innovation Campus.

The newly opened state-of-the-art space includes advanced lidar research and development labs, a world-class manufacturing area with a clean room, a garage for vehicle testing, and a modern office and collaboration space.

Driverless Trucking Company Opens New Facility in Bozeman

Aurora Innovation, Inc., a leader in autonomous trucking technology announced the opening of its new 78,000 square-foot office and testing facility in Bozeman. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by state elected officials, regulators, and community leaders, including Governor Gianforte, Bozeman Mayor Cunningham, MSU VP Alison Harmon, and Aurora’s CEO Chris Urmson.

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Our state is made stronger when companies like Aurora choose to expand their business in Montana. From their investments in the Bozeman community to inspiring the next generation of innovators, Montana is seeing rapid growth in industries like photonics thanks to job creators like Aurora.

said Montana Governor Gianforte.

What is lidar?

Lidar is laser radar. It is one of the sensors used in autonomous trucks that allows them to detect objects on the road.

Aurora designed and built its proprietary FirstLight Lidar in Bozeman. FirstLight Lidar allows driverless trucks to detect objects more than 450 meters away, which gives the trucks the ability to see more than four football fields away and enables the trucks to drive on highways at highway speeds.

What Brought Aurora to Bozeman?

In 2019, Aurora acquired Blackmore, a leading lidar company in Bozeman. The Bozeman team plays a central role in developing sensor technology for driverless trucks. To learn more about the new facility, click here.