Almost a year after Argo AI closed its doors in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, the founders of that autonomous automobile startup have embarked on a new venture focusing on self-driving trucks.
Called Stack AV, the firm plans to use self-driving technology to improve efficiency and enhance safety in the trucking industry.
A company spokesperson said the founders are exploring office space in the Strip District for its headquarters.
Stack AV is led by Chief Executive Officer Bryan Salesky, President Peter Rander, and Chief Technology Officer Brett Browning. The company says it has 150 employees in 15 states.
Stack AV’s target is how goods are transported by trucks, “designing solutions to alleviate long-standing issues that have plagued the trucking industry including driver shortages, lagging efficiency in uptime per vehicle, overarching safety concerns, high operating costs, and elevated emission levels,” the company said.
Stack AV is backed by SoftBank Group Corp., a Japanese technology conglomerate.
“As consumer consumption patterns evolve, businesses increasingly need AI-driven, intelligent, and reliable supply chains,” Salesky said. “With our proprietary technology and expertise as well as the commitment from our long-term partner in SoftBank, we are confident we will revolutionize the trucking and freight industries by driving improvements in efficiency and safety and alleviating supply chain constraints for our customers, helping them reach their goals and advance their missions.”
The founders have roots in Pittsburgh and in artificial intelligence.
Salesky has led large autonomy initiatives for vehicles that range from mining trucks to urban automobiles in many organizations, including Carnegie Mellon University and Google. He serves on the boards of the University of Pittsburgh and the PNC Financial Services Group.
Browning has more than two decades of experience in robotics, He has led projects ranging from self-driving taxis to autonomous heavy-duty mining vehicles at several organizations, including Carnegie Mellon University, Uber ATG, and Argo AI.
Rander is a roboticist who has worked with Carnegie Mellon University, Uber ATG, and his own company, Argo AI. He serves on the board of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network.
“The transformative power of AI is undeniable and will have a significant impact on our society,” said Kentaro Matsui, head of the new business office at SoftBank Group and managing partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers. “The next decade will be defined by AI, where all social systems will be linked by this technology to solve the most complex societal issues.”
The Stack AV founders also started a self-driving car company that was headquartered in the Strip District. Argo AI closed down in October 2022 when Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG stopped funding the company. The automakers absorbed some of its employees.
Argo AI also occupied space at the Westmoreland County Community College Advanced Technology Center in East Huntington.
More companies have been investing in automation in the trucking sector — some of those in Pittsburgh. Lawrenceville-based Locomation is developing self-driving trucks. Aurora Innovation, Inc. opened its first commercial-ready terminal in Texas for autonomous trucks to serve as a blueprint for its future network of 24/7 driverless operations.
Stephanie Ritenbaugh is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Stephanie at sritenbaugh@triblive.com.