Former Uber Freight CEO Takes Helm at Waabi for Driverless Truck Push

Autonomous trucking startup Waabi has made a strategic leadership move by appointing Lior Ron, former CEO of Uber Freight, as its new Chief Operating Officer. The hiring signals Waabi's preparation for commercial deployment of its driverless truck service, slated to begin operations on public roads before the end of 2025.

Leadership Shifts in Autonomous Trucking

Ron's transition comes with executive changes at Uber Freight, where Rebecca Tinucci, a six-year Tesla charging network veteran, will assume the CEO role. Ron will continue serving as Chairman of Uber Freight while focusing on Waabi's commercialization efforts.

"Lior will lead our market expansion strategy and key partnerships to transition Waabi from development to large-scale commercialization," said Raquel Urtasun, Waabi's founder and CEO. "He's demonstrated the ability to scale a startup to $5 billion in revenue."

Established Partnership Bears Fruit

The collaboration builds on Urtasun and Ron's previous work together at Uber, where Urtasun served as Chief Scientist leading autonomous research (2017-2021) after Uber acquired Otto, the autonomous truck company Ron co-founded in 2016.

Uber Freight maintains partnerships with autonomous trucking firms including Aurora Innovation and Waabi. Ron confirmed his departure won't affect these collaborations, noting that supply chain executives are "eager" to adopt autonomous solutions.

AI-First Approach Accelerates Development

Waabi differentiates itself through an AI-first methodology, enabling faster development with fewer resources than competitors—a critical advantage in this capital-intensive sector where startups like TuSimple and Embark have faltered.

The company has raised $287.7 million since its 2021 founding, including a $200 million Series B round in 2024. Urtasun stated no additional funding is needed for the next growth phase—a notable claim when compared to competitor Aurora's $3.46 billion war chest.

Virtual Testing Enables Rapid Deployment

Waabi's proprietary simulator, Waabi World, allows extensive virtual training and testing without real-world risks. The system recently expanded to test tracks, overlaying virtual environments on actual driving conditions to safely simulate accidents and construction zones.

"We achieved full functionality earlier this year," Urtasun explained. "Now we're finalizing performance improvements with plans to launch driverless service by December."

The company will debut in Texas, the U.S. hub for autonomous freight, though specific routes remain undisclosed. Waabi collaborates with Volvo Autonomous Solutions on customized vehicle development.

Ron expressed confidence in Waabi's trajectory: "We'll expand autonomous driving at unprecedented speed," he said, highlighting potential warehouse integration that could eliminate transfer terminal requirements.

Key Points:

• Leadership change: Lior Ron moves from Uber Freight CEO to Waabi COO position
• Commercial timeline: Driverless service planned for late 2025 launch
• Funding position: $287.7 million raised; claims no need for additional capital
• Tech advantage: AI-first approach and virtual simulation accelerate development
• Texas focus: Initial deployment planned in key autonomous freight corridor