Goodyear Ventures Invests in Autonomous Tech

Goodyear Ventures has added TuSimple, a global autonomous trucking technology company, to its growing investment portfolio. The company has also added Starship Technologies to its investment portfolio. Goodyear Ventures joins multiple investors helping to raise $17 million for the autonomous delivery company.

TuSimple operates self-driving trucks out of their facilities in Arizona, Texas, China, Japan, and Europe using an ecosystem made up of digital maps, strategic terminals, and an autonomous fleet operations system.

Driven by a mission to increase safety, decrease transportation costs, and reduce carbon emissions, TuSimple is developing a commercial-ready Level 4 autonomous driving solution to transform the logistics industry.

In 2020, Goodyear announced a strategic partnership to provide tires and tire management solutions to TuSimple’s Autonomous Freight Network (AFN), the world’s first autonomous network. As an AFN partner, Goodyear will conduct wear studies to better predict maintenance, understand tire longevity and reduce the carbon impact of fleets.

“We are excited to build upon Goodyear’s relationship with TuSimple through this investment,” said Abhijit Ganguly, senior manager, Goodyear Ventures. “TuSimple's autonomous technology, combined with its vision of autonomous freight as a service, has the potential to create a lot of value in the commercial freight industry.”

Founded in 2014, Starship Technologies builds and operates a network of self-driving robots that carry and deliver packages, groceries and food directly to customers. The company’s electrically powered, autonomous robots are completing thousands of deliveries daily and have traveled millions of miles in several cities across the world as they offer people a convenient, contactless delivery service.

"Goodyear Ventures is excited to join Starship's journey as it revolutionizes the autonomous delivery space,” said Abhijit Ganguly, senior manager, Goodyear Ventures. “Goodyear's trusted services footprint combined with its custom solutions for autonomous vehicle companies comprise a solid platform to support Starship in the market."

The investment approach of Goodyear Ventures focuses on several themes shaping mobility, including electric and autonomous technologies. The venture capital fund amplifies Goodyear's legacy of innovation by partnering and investing in seed-to-growth-stage startups that have a shared vision of sustainable, safe and new mobility experiences that make life’s connections easier every day.

Originally posted on Work Truck Online