Traton invests up to 25 million mollars in partnership with autonomy start-up PlusAI
As early as 2024, the Traton brands Scania, MAN, and International (formerly Navistar) entered into a partnership with PlusAI to develop Level 4 autonomous driving solutions. Following the launch of the partnership, PlusAI also opened an office in Munich, where Traton and the MAN brand are headquartered. The collaboration is now being intensified to accelerate the development and large-scale deployment of autonomous trucks for long-haul transport in the USA and Europe.
PlusAI, based in Santa Clara, California, has developed an AI-based solution for autonomous truck driving called SuperDrive. This system is now set to be integrated more rapidly into series-produced trucks across the three Traton brands. The partners have not yet publicly specified a particular powertrain type for these vehicles.
Partnership Exceeds Expectations
“Autonomous trucks are a strategic pillar in Traton’s long-term technology roadmap,” said Niklas Klingenberg, Traton’s Board Member for Development, emphasising, “From day one of our collaboration, PlusAI’s technical capabilities and commercial execution have exceeded our expectations, giving us even greater confidence that we have chosen the right partner.” Klingenberg added that autonomous driving offers significant potential to increase vehicle availability, create additional value for Traton’s fleet customers, and simultaneously strengthen the long-term competitiveness of the group’s brands.
As part of the expanded partnership, Traton will provide up to 25 million US dollars in earmarked R&D funding to accelerate the integration of SuperDrive into autonomous trucks across its brands. “Our expanded partnership will reflect both this confidence and our shared goal of bringing factory-built on-road autonomous trucks to market at scale,” said Klingenberg.
In connection with PlusAI’s planned initial public offering (IPO) via a SPAC merger with the special-purpose acquisition company Churchill Capital Corp IX, Traton will also appoint a representative to PlusAI’s Board of Directors (similar to a supervisory board) to further strengthen the strategic alignment of both companies as they prepare for the US market launch. Additionally, Traton is set to receive stock warrants in PlusAI upon achieving certain revenue milestones from this engagement. This could make Traton a shareholder in PlusAI at a later stage, although the size of this potential stake remains undisclosed.
First Fleet Trial in Texas
Since the partnership began in 2024, both companies have achieved technical and operational milestones on the path to introducing Level 4-capable autonomous trucks. A key highlight is that Traton’s US brand International began autonomous fleet trials for a major logistics provider in September 2025. Since then, a diesel-powered truck has been operating autonomously on Interstate 35 between Laredo and Dallas. The multimodal sensor system combines imaging radar, lidar, and strategically positioned cameras around the vehicle. With 360-degree visibility, these technologies enable precise and efficient autonomous operation while ensuring the highest levels of safety and reliability. According to Traton, this fleet trial in Texas marks a decisive step towards large-scale commercialisation.
“Together with Traton, we have moved autonomy from the lab to factory integration and now to real-world operations,” says David Liu, CEO and Co-Founder of PlusAI. “We have a common Level 4 software stack operating in Europe and the U.S., proven integration on truck platforms of TRATON’s brands, successful driverless validation, and customer pilots underway. The expanded partnership allows us to build on this momentum and accelerate towards scaled commercial deployment.”
Hyundai and Iveco Also Partner with PlusAI
In addition to Traton, Bosch, DSV, Hyundai, and Iveco are also collaborating with PlusAI to bring autonomous trucks to market. However, several other players are aiming to introduce autonomous trucks. Aurora is particularly advanced, already operating a commercial transport service between Dallas and Houston and partnering with the German supplier Continental. The Swedish company Einride has developed a brand-new autonomous electric truck. Meanwhile, Daimler Truck’s subsidiary Torc Robotics successfully tested a driverless battery-electric truck in the USA in 2024, specifically the Freightliner eCascadia model.
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