Self-driving startup Aurora maps out commercial strategy

A Peterbilt 579 truck equipped with Aurora's self-driving system is seen at the company's terminal in Palmer, south of Dallas, Texas, U.S. September 23, 2021. REUTERS/Tina Bellon

PALMER, Texas (Reuters) - Self-driving startup Aurora says it has discovered a path to turn costly self-driving vehicles into a profitable business, showcasing its technology to investors this week ahead of a public listing it hopes will provide some $2 billion in additional funding.

The move comes as several autonomous trucking companies prepare to launch driverless routes in the coming years and begin signing up industry partners and customers in an effort to turn long-elusive self-driving into a profitable reality.