Starsky Robotics
{{short description|Former autonomous truck company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Starsky Robotics
| logo = Starsky_Robotics_Logo.png
| type = Private
| industry = Autonomous robotics (robotics, manufacturing, logistics)
| foundation = 2016
| defunct = {{End date|2020|03|19}}
| location = San Francisco
| key_people = *Stefan Seltz-Axmacher
(CEO, co-founder)
- Kartik Tiwari
(co-founder)
| slogan =
| homepage = [https://web.archive.org/web/20200107003825/https://www.starsky.io/ starsky.io (archived)]
}}
Starsky Robotics was an autonomous truck Starsky Robotics was an autonomous trucking company based in San Francisco, California. Founded in 2016 by Stefan Seltz-Axmacher and Kartik Tiwari, the company developed a hybrid system that combined highway autonomy with remote human teleoperation for last-mile and complex maneuvers. It gained notoriety for conducting the first public road test of a driverless freight truck with no one in the vehicle. Starsky ceased operations in 2020 following funding challenges and a slowdown in investor interest in autonomous vehicle startups.
History
In 2017, Starsky Robotics announced that it had raised $5 million from Y Combinator, Sam Altman, Trucks VC, and Data Collective to create an autonomous trucking company.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-06-22/these-truckers-work-alongside-the-coders-trying-to-eliminate-their-jobs|title=These Truckers Work Alongside the Coders Trying to Eliminate Their Jobs|date=2017-06-22|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=2017-12-20}} In 2018, company closed a $16.5 million Series A, led by Shasta Ventures.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/08/starsky-robotics-raises-a-16-5-million-series-a-for-its-self-driving-trucks/|title=Starsky Robotics raises a $16.5 million Series A for its self-driving trucks – TechCrunch|website=techcrunch.com|date=8 March 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-06-01}}
Their approach contrasted with that of competitors by emphasizing simplicity and immediate commercial applications over full end-to-end automation.https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/01/starsky-robotics-raises-16-5m-to-bring-autonomous-trucks-to-market/
In 2018, the company began testing its remote teleoperation system in Florida. By 2019, Starsky had successfully completed the ‘’'first-ever unmanned freight run on a public highway’’', using a truck that drove 9.4 miles on the Florida Turnpike with no safety driver inside.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/starsky-robotics-truck-self-driving-florida-test/|title=Starsky Robotics Unleashes Its Truly Driverless Truck in Florida|magazine=WIRED|access-date=2018-06-01|language=en-US}} The demonstration marked a milestone in autonomous vehicle history and showcased the viability of its mixed autonomy-human model.
In November 2019 over 85% of staff were laid off after the company failed to find further investment, due to concerns over the financial stability of its freight-hauling arm.{{Cite web|url= https://www.freightwaves.com/news/exclusive-mass-layoffs-reported-after-starsky-robotics-fails-to-find-buyer-investors |title=Starsky Robotics Downsizes|last=|first=|date=24 February 2020|website=Freight waves|access-date=24 February 2020}} By March 2020 the company sold off the remaining assets, including patents relating to operating remote vehicles.
Technology
The company developed proprietary technology that allowed drivers to remotely pilot trucks from a central headquarters.{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/28/starsky-robotics-autonomous-transport-trucks-also-give-drivers-remote-control/|title=Starsky Robotics' autonomous transport trucks also give drivers remote control|last=Etherington|first=Darrell|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-selfdriving-starsky/starsky-robotics-sees-last-mile-solution-for-driverless-trucks-idUSKBN16729V|title=Starsky Robotics sees 'last mile' solution for driverless trucks|last=Lienert|first=Paul|date=February 28, 2017|website=Reuters|access-date=December 20, 2017}} The company successfully completed full deliveries with 85% autonomy.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thedrive.com/opinion/7909/starsky-robotics-unveils-a-self-driving-truck-that-could-kill-uber-subsidiary-otto|title=Starsky Robotics Unveils a Self-Driving Truck That Could Kill Uber Subsidiary Otto|last=Roy|first=Alex|work=The Drive|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2017/02/28/starsky-self-driving-truck-startup/|title=This Driverless Truck Startup Is Putting Human Drivers to Work|work=Fortune|access-date=2017-12-20|language=en}} Starsky Robotics’ system worked to solve the issue of final-mile delivery by removing drivers from the cab entirely and putting them in an office where they could remotely operate the truck from terminal to delivery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ccjdigital.com/starsky-robotics-autonomous-run-without-driver/|title=Truck completes fully autonomous route without driver in cab|website=www.ccjdigital.com|date=8 March 2018 |language=en|access-date=2018-06-01}}
Shutdown
Starsky Robotics ceased operations in early 2020. The closure was publicly announced in a widely read Medium post by co-founder Stefan Seltz-Axmacher. In the post, Seltz-Axmacher attributed the shutdown to declining investor enthusiasm in AV technologies, high capital needs, and slower-than-expected technical progress across the industry.https://medium.com/starsky-robotics/the-end-of-starsky-robotics-9b90b44cc5f2
The postmortem sparked discussions across the tech industry for its candid assessment of the limitations of both the technology and the venture capital model in robotics.https://www.wired.com/story/startup-starsky-robotics-shut-down/
Legacy
Despite its short operational lifespan, Starsky Robotics left a lasting legacy in the autonomous vehicle sector. It was the first company to successfully operate a driverless freight truck on a public road, and its emphasis on practical autonomy and lean development influenced how other startups approached the problem.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UjGnt6FHfA Its closure is often cited as a cautionary tale about the mismatch between deep-tech development timelines and startup funding cycles.https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarwantsingh/2020/03/19/the-collapse-of-starsky-robotics-and-what-it-means-for-autonomous-trucking/
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://www.starsky.io/ Starsky Robotics Official Site]
Category:Companies based in San Francisco
Category:Robotics companies of the United States