Aurora Says Truck Production Ramp Is Six Weeks Behind, Sees 2026 Revenue of About $9 Million

Aurora Innovation said Wednesday its truck production ramp is running about six weeks behind plan and now expects 2026 revenue of about $9 million, even as the self-driving truck developer reported its driverless fleet passed 500,000 commercial miles.

The company posted third-quarter revenue of $3 million and an operating loss of $257 million, including $54 million of stock-based compensation, according to the shareholder letter it filed with an 8-K on Wednesday.

Production bottlenecks

Aurora said its initial ramp over the past month was held back by material availability, component quality and issues found during end-of-line testing. It now expects to reach its targeted production rate of 20 trucks per week in early December.

"Reflecting a production ramp about six weeks behind our prior plan, we now expect 2026 revenue of approximately $9 million, which continues to represent substantial year-over-year growth," CFO David Maday wrote in the letter.

The company said it has more than 20 driverless trucks already built and coming into the fleet. It expects to pass 200 trucks by the end of February and said it remains on track to exit 2027 with more than 1,000 driverless trucks in operation.

Trucks are being upfitted at contract manufacturer Roush, which Aurora said it is working with to build an annualized production capability of more than 1,000 trucks.

Cash burn

Aurora used about $170 million in operating cash in the third quarter, and capital expenditures totaled $36 million. It expects cash use of about $250 million in the fourth quarter as it scales its driverless fleet.

Excluding stock-based compensation, research and development expense totaled $160 million, selling, general and administrative expense was $38 million and cost of revenue was $8 million.

During the quarter, Aurora sold 6 million Class A shares through its at-the-market program for net proceeds of $41 million, using $23 million to cover tax liabilities tied to employee restricted stock unit vesting. It ended the quarter with more than $1 billion in cash and short-term investments.

New customer commitment

Charger Logistics signed a memorandum of understanding to own and operate 500 trucks using Aurora's Driver as a Service model, with deliveries expected in 2027 and 2028, starting on the Dallas-to-Laredo route. Aurora said the agreement represents a potential multi-year revenue stream in the hundreds of millions of dollars, though it noted the MOU is non-binding and subject to definitive documentation.

"With Aurora-Driver powered trucks operating without a person behind the wheel, accelerating production, and expanding customer adoption, we have reached an inflection point on our path to commercial scale," the company said in the letter.

Regulatory progress

Aurora said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration granted a five-year exemption allowing driverless trucks to use cab-mounted warning beacons instead of manually placed roadside warning devices when a truck is stopped.

Volvo plans to deploy more than 300 driverless trucks in 2027 ahead of full industrial production in 2028, according to the letter.

Sources

1. Aurora Innovation Form 8-K with third-quarter 2026 shareholder letter (Exhibit 99.1), filed Oct. 28, 2026 (accession 0001828108-26-000092)

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