Starsky Robotics

Starsky Robotics was an autonomous truck company founded in 2016. It developed trucks to drive without a person in the vehicle. The company started in 2015 and had raised $21.7 million by 2018. It failed to find further investors in November 2019, and shut down by March 2020.[1]

Starsky Robotics
TypePrivate
IndustryAutonomous Robotics (robotics, manufacturing, logistics)
Founded2016
DefunctMarch 19, 2020 (2020-03-19)
HeadquartersSan Francisco
Key people
Websitestarsky.io

History

In 2017, Starsky Robotics announced that it had raised $5 million from Y Combinator, Sam Altman, Trucks VC, and Data Collective to create an autonomous trucking company.[2] In 2018, company closed a $16.5 million Series A, led by Shasta Ventures.[3]

In February 2018, Starsky Robotics completed a 7-mile fully driverless trip in Florida without a single human in the truck.[4] Starsky is the first company to publicly test an empty cabin for autonomous trucks.[5]

In June 2019, Starsky Robotics become the first company to operate fully unmanned on public highways at 55MPH with nobody in the cab of the truck.[6]

In November 2019 over 85% of staff were laid off after the company failed to find further investment, as concerns mounted over the financial stability of its freight-hauling arm.[7] By March 2020 the company sold off the remaining assets, including patents relating to operating remote vehicles.[1]

Technology

The company developed proprietary technology that allows drivers to remotely pilot trucks from a central headquarters.[8][9] The company successfully completed full deliveries with 85% autonomy.[10][11] Starsky Robotics’ system worked to solve the issue of final-mile delivery by removing drivers from the cab entirely and putting them in an office where they can remotely operate the truck from terminal to delivery.[12]

See also

References
  1. Seltz-Axmacher, Stefan (2020-03-19). "The End of Starsky Robotics". Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  2. "These Truckers Work Alongside the Coders Trying to Eliminate Their Jobs". Bloomberg.com. 2017-06-22. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  3. "Starsky Robotics raises a $16.5 million Series A for its self-driving trucks – TechCrunch". techcrunch.com. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  4. "Starsky Robotics Unleashes Its Truly Driverless Truck in Florida". WIRED. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  5. McFarland, Matt. "Pull over, Uber. This self-driving truck is driving with no one on board". CNNMoney. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  6. Big Step For Self-Driving Semis As Starsky Tests Unmanned Robo-Truck On Florida Highway
  7. "Starsky Robotics Downsizes". Freight waves. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  8. Etherington, Darrell. "Starsky Robotics' autonomous transport trucks also give drivers remote control". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  9. Lienert, Paul (February 28, 2017). "Starsky Robotics sees 'last mile' solution for driverless trucks". Reuters. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  10. Roy, Alex. "Starsky Robotics Unveils a Self-Driving Truck That Could Kill Uber Subsidiary Otto". The Drive. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  11. "This Driverless Truck Startup Is Putting Human Drivers to Work". Fortune. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  12. "Truck completes fully autonomous route without driver in cab". www.ccjdigital.com. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
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