Five years ago, while robotaxis and self-driving truck startups were attracting significant venture capital investments, Anthony Levandowski shifted his focus to off-road autonomy.
This decision proved to be a wise one, bringing Levandowski back to his roots and setting the stage for success. Pronto, the San Francisco-based startup he co-founded with Ognen Stojanovski, has developed a self-driving system tailored for haulage trucks and other off-road vehicles commonly used at construction and mining sites. Levandowski mentioned that around a dozen companies are currently utilizing their “autonomous haulage system” (AHS), with not all deployments being fully driverless.
The recent partnership announcement further showcases Pronto’s progress within this niche market. Pronto revealed an extended partnership with Heidelberg Materials North America, a major producer of building materials and cement globally, after a successful pilot program at their Bridgeport Quarry in Texas last year. Under this agreement, Pronto’s technology will be integrated into Komatsu haulage trucks operating autonomously on-site, with the additional inclusion of Komatsu’s connected vehicle technology for enhanced data collection and analysis.
Utilizing advanced sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence, Pronto’s 30-person team enables haul trucks to operate autonomously. To support connectivity in remote areas, the startup introduced Pollen Mobile in 2022, a peer-to-peer mobile data network for exchanging data at high speeds independently from traditional carriers.
The growing interest and investment in off-road autonomy highlight the shift towards commercialization in both startup and established tech company environments. Levandowski emphasized that this shift in focus was driven by the alignment of technology and market demand.
For Levandowski, the off-road sector offers clear advantages due to its use on private property. Although the driving conditions may present challenges, the controlled environment allows for proper training of personnel working with autonomous vehicles.
Levandowski’s journey from founding Pronto in 2018 for on-road autonomy to the pivot towards off-road autonomy in 2019 corresponds with his initial involvement in the autonomous-driving Grand Challenge in 2005. His experience, connections, and career trajectory have been shaped by his early work in the mobile mapping system domain, leading eventually to his pivotal role in Google’s self-driving project.
Pronto’s innovative approach in off-road autonomy has attracted investor interest, with Levandowski highlighting the readiness of this market compared to the larger on-road sector. The success of Pronto in delivering autonomous solutions for off-road vehicles marks a significant milestone in Levandowski’s career.
