Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • login
  • HOME
  • News
    • News by Brand
    • Auto Shows
    • Canadians Abroad
    • Photo Galleries
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • Retail
    • Dealer Best Practices
    • Government Relations
    • Trade and Tariffs
    • Technology
    • Labour
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Ferrari
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • Stellantis
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Fiat Chrysler
      • Jeep
      • Fiat
      • Lancia
      • Maserati
      • Ram
    • Subaru
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
    • Volvo
    • VinFast
    • Toronto Auto Show
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
  • Video
  • Podcasts
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • 2022 Auto News Canada All-Stars
    • 2022 Canadians To Watch
    • 2022 Diversity Champions
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
    • Canada Congress
    • Retail Forum: Dealer Discussions
    • Leading Women Roundtables
    • Embracing Diversity Roundtable
    • EVs Decoded
  • Jobs & Classifieds
  • +MORE
    • IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT
    • NEWSLETTERS
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • CLASSIFIEDS
    • PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
    • COMPANIES ON THE MOVE
    • WEBINARS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • CONTACT US
    • DIGITAL EDITION
    • PUBLISHING PARTNERS
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Mobility
June 08, 2021 06:00 AM

Canadian startup Waabi promises 'radical' new approach to self-driving tech

A former Uber ATG executive has launched the new company that will first target the autonomous trucking market

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    RaquelUrtasun-MAIN_i.jpg
    Raquel Urtasun

    More than a decade into development of self-driving cars, widespread deployments remain elusive.

    Raquel Urtasun, a University of Toronto computer science professor, hopes to soon accelerate the plodding pace of progress. The former Uber Advanced Technology Group executive and computer science expert has started her own self-driving technology company, Waabi, that's already working on artificial-intelligence advances.

    The company made its first public pronouncements early Tuesday.

    "Commercial deployments are limited to small operational domains, and in my opinion, that's due in part to particular approaches that have not realized the power of AI, and instead rely on complex and time-consuming methods," Urtasun told Automotive News, sibling publication to Automotive News Canada. "So it's very costly to scale. I believe a radical new approach is necessary."

    Founded three months ago in Toronto, the company announced a Series A funding round of US$83.5 million. Waabi will first target the self-driving truck market. But the company's self-driving system will be versatile enough to be fitted on a variety of vehicle platforms.

    If that sounds like a blueprint established by the likes of Aurora, it's notable that Aurora is among Waabi's first investors. Aurora recently completed its acquisition of Uber ATG, where Urtasun had worked since May 2017 first as head of the company's Toronto operations and later as its chief scientist and head of R&D.

    "[Aurora CEO] Chris [Urmson] and his team really believe in the technology we are building," Urtasun said.

    The funding round was led by Khosla Ventures, with further participation from Uber, Radical Ventures, 8VC, OMERS Ventures, BDC Capital's Women In Technology Venture Fund, and others. Terms were not disclosed.

    Urtasun remains at University of Toronto and is the co-founder of the Vector Institute, a nonprofit research corporation founded in 2017 to study AI and deep learning, that has received funding from the Canadian government and private sector.

    Waabi, a name selected from the language of the Objibwe group of indigenous Canadians, translates to "she has vision." In terms of advancing AI progress in the company, Urtasun envisions borrowing from the best of a traditional rules-based approach to developing a self-driving system and from one that depends upon deep learning.

    "We need to take the lessons of the last few decades and build a unique and differentiated approach, in particular with new algorithms that leverage deep learning and probable inference," she said. "It needs to be end-to-end trainable and we can trace back to why the system decides to do very specific maneuvers. It's a new generation of algorithms."

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Canadian Sea-Doo maker BRP entering mobility market, competing with automakers
    Recommended for You
    BRP Mobility Concepts
    Canadian Sea-Doo maker BRP entering mobility market, competing with automakers
    Google Canada exec on navigating auto consumer behaviour trends
    Sponsored Content: Google Canada exec on navigating auto consumer behaviour trends
    Digital Edition
    Jan 2023 Issue
    View latest issue
    See our archive
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up today for our Weekly Newsletter, Daily Newsletter and Breaking News Alerts. We'll deliver the news you need to know straight to your inbox.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Subscribe Now

    An Automotive News Canada subscription includes 12 monthly issues – delivered in print to your doorstep, and digitally to your inbox – plus unlimited, 24/7 access to our website.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Our Mission

    The Automotive News Canada mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in Canada.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Ave
    Detroit MI 48207

    1-877-812-1257

    Email Us

    ISSN 2475-5001 (print)
    ISSN 2475-501X (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • Advertise with Us
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Canada
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • News
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Ferrari
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • Stellantis
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Fiat Chrysler
          • Jeep
          • Fiat
          • Lancia
          • Maserati
          • Ram
        • Subaru
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
        • Volvo
        • VinFast
      • Auto Shows
        • Toronto Auto Show
      • Canadians Abroad
      • Photo Galleries
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • Retail
      • Dealer Best Practices
      • Government Relations
      • Trade and Tariffs
      • Technology
      • Labour
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • 2022 Auto News Canada All-Stars
      • 2022 Canadians To Watch
      • 2022 Diversity Champions
      • Best Dealerships To Work For
      • Canada Congress
      • Retail Forum: Dealer Discussions
      • Leading Women Roundtables
      • Embracing Diversity Roundtable
      • EVs Decoded
    • Jobs & Classifieds
    • +MORE
      • IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT
      • NEWSLETTERS
      • SUBSCRIBE
      • CLASSIFIEDS
      • PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
      • COMPANIES ON THE MOVE
      • WEBINARS
      • ADVERTISE WITH US
      • CONTACT US
      • DIGITAL EDITION
      • PUBLISHING PARTNERS