Ex-engineers from Waymo have initiated the automated construction process.
In an effort to tackle the looming labor shortage in the construction industry, Bedrock Robotics, a startup founded by Waymo veterans, has unveiled an innovative autonomous vehicle technology platform. The company's mission is to retrofit existing heavy construction machinery with self-driving capabilities, aiming to create a more efficient and sustainable future for the industry.
The autonomous technology developed by Bedrock Robotics involves the installation of reversible hardware and software kits, which enable construction vehicles to operate without human intervention. This approach not only reduces reliance on human labor but also allows machines to work around the clock on construction sites.
The construction industry is facing a severe labor crisis, with around 40% of the workforce expected to retire within the next decade. This impending exodus, coupled with a shortage of approximately 500,000 workers in the U.S. alone, has prompted the need for a solution like Bedrock Robotics' autonomous technology.
Bedrock Robotics' system is designed to maintain the highest safety standards while improving cost predictability, project schedules, and overall efficiency in heavy construction operations. The startup has already begun testing its autonomous platform on active sites in California, Texas, Arizona, and Arkansas, collaborating with established construction partners like Sundt Construction.
The company's leadership team boasts former Waymo engineers, including CEO Boris Sofman (formerly head of Waymo's truck program) and CTO Kevin Peterson. Their expertise in autonomous driving and complex AI systems underpins the technology's development and deployment.
Bedrock Robotics has recently emerged from stealth mode with an $80 million funding round. This significant investment will be used to scale up and commercialise the technology, addressing the pressing labor shortage in the construction industry. Investors in the round include Eclipse and 8VC.
In summary, Bedrock Robotics' autonomous vehicle technology platform is a promising solution to the industry's labor shortage crisis. By retrofitting traditional heavy machines, the startup aims to create a more efficient, sustainable, and labor-friendly future for the construction industry.
The autonomous vehicle technology platform developed by Bedrock Robotics, guided by former Waymo engineers, introduces artificial-intelligence to the construction industry. With this technology, manufacturing processes are poised to become more efficient as construction machines can operate non-stop with minimal human intervention. The infusion of technology and finance, as evidenced by the $80 million funding round, aims to tackle the severe labor shortage in the industry, a crisis exacerbated by the approaching retirement of a large percentage of the workforce.
