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Like It Or Not, Self-Driving Semi-Trucks Are Inevitable; Bozeman, Montana Company, Aurora, Leading The Way

Self-driving technology for the trucking industry is evolving quickly. Many of those advances originate in Montana through a Bozeman company that researched autonomous trucking technology on the treacherous Lone Peak in Montana.
Imagine a future when self-driven 18-wheelers navigate the most infamous mountain highways in the West — Teton Pass, Sherman Summit and Gallatin Canyon. When that future arrives, a Bozeman company built partially on research done on Lone Peak in Big Sky, Montana, could be at the forefront of this bold new reality for the trucking industry.
In December, Aurora — a self-driving technology company — announced the opening of its new 78,000-square-foot office and testing facility in Bozeman on Montana State University’s Innovation Campus. The space builds upon photonics research using lidar, a detection system which works on the principle of radar but uses light from a laser.
In 2015, Montana State graduate Trent Berg co-founded Blackmore Sensors and Analytics, a photonics and lidar company. Blackmore later started using its lidar technology to measure and track the Lone Peak Stone Glacier, which is a dense deposit of rock and ice at the foot of Lone Peak in Big Sky.
Montana Headwaters Tech Hub
The Montana Headwaters Tech Hub Consortium has received formal designation as a Regional Technology & Innovation Hub from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. The Montana Headwaters Tech Hub will develop smart photonic sensing systems that can be deployed in autonomous systems and applied to critical defense, resource management, and disaster prevention applications.
Through nine component projects, we will partner with key organizations around the state to develop the photonics industry in our state. We will provide support for all aspects of the industry, from research and development, workforce training, and venture studios to launch new firms. With our support, we believe that Montana can become a global leader in this industry, creating an economic driver for the region.
Join the organization to contribute to the establishment and acceleration of the photonics industry in Montana. Fill out the form below to request access to the Tech Hub Community.
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