The Ontario, Canada-based truck transportation provider Charger Logistics intends to purchase up to 500 autonomous trucks controlled by technology from self-driving platform provider Aurora, the companies said today.
The agreement builds upon Charger’s existing contract with Aurora signed in July, underscoring the carrier’s belief that the technology—called the Aurora Driver—will be critical to expanding its network and strengthening its business.
Charger operates across the U.S. and Mexico, moving goods for the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, automotive, and retail industries. Under the non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU), the carrier would purchase 500 Aurora Driver-powered trucks, with delivery taking place over 2027 and 2028. Charger plans to deploy the trucks on current and new high-volume routes near the border and throughout the country.
Upon the final agreement, Charger intends to subscribe to Aurora’s Driver as a Service (DaaS) model, where ownership over the physical asset allows them to maximize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) savings. In parallel, Aurora benefits from an expected high-margin, capital-efficient, and asset-light business. DaaS agreements are a critical component to Aurora’s plan to scale to 200 driverless trucks by the end of 2026 and to 30,000 driverless trucks by 2030.
“Since launching autonomous operations along the Laredo corridor, we’ve realized immediate operational benefits that point to a clear path to scaling,” said Andy Khera, President of Charger Logistics. “Aurora’s plans to open long-haul, high-volume routes position us to scale geographically while we integrate autonomy from our TMS to the road, building a resilient and autonomous ecosystem for our customers.”
