News Summary

Toronto-based startup Waabi has appointed Lior Ron, the former CEO of Uber Freight, as its new Chief Operating Officer. This strategic hire is part of Waabi’s plan to transition from research and development to the commercialization of its AI-powered, self-driving trucks by the end of the year. Waabi, founded by Raquel Urtasun, aims to deploy fully autonomous trucks currently operating in Texas with human drivers onboard. Ron, who co-founded the self-driving tech company Otto, will lead Waabi’s go-to-market strategy and strengthen industry partnerships. Waabi’s collaboration with Uber Freight continues, with both companies working to expand their joint operations in autonomous trucking. Waabi has secured significant investments, including a $275-million Series B funding round co-led by Uber, and has partnered with Volvo to commercialize self-driving trucks. The company is advocating for a regulatory framework in Canada to support the deployment of AI-driven vehicles.