We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Autonomous Driving Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ:AUR) stands against the other best autonomous driving stocks to buy.
The vision of fleets of driverless cars seamlessly transporting passengers has captivated consumers and driven billions in investment over recent years. Imagine summoning a driverless car with a tap on your phone, enjoying a stress-free, congestion-free commute. After years of anticipation and extensive development, self-driving car technology is finally becoming a reality. Vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) and partial self-driving capabilities are now hitting the market, signaling the start of the race toward full autonomy.
Simultaneously, the robotaxi market is maturing, with commercial driverless services now active across the U.S. and China. Leading players in this space collectively operate over 2,000 robotaxis, gathering data to refine AI systems, ensuring safety, and serving mobility-as-a-service customers. According to IDTechEx, the autonomous vehicles market is poised for rapid growth, with projections indicating robotaxi vehicle sales could reach $174 billion by 2045, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37% starting in 2025.
According to a 2021 McKinsey survey, consumers are eager for autonomous driving (AD) features and willing to pay a premium. Ranked from Level 0-5 based on capabilities, growing demand for these systems could unlock billions in revenue. While vehicles equipped with Level 2 autonomy are widely known, the firm projects that widespread adoption of vehicles equipped with Level 4 capabilities will begin around 2026, with initial applications expected to focus on autonomous parking, with highway driving following shortly thereafter. Overall, McKinsey projects that the ADAS and AD market for passenger cars could generate $300 billion to $400 billion by 2035. The firm also highlights the far-reaching impact autonomous vehicles could have on various industries. For instance, by significantly reducing car accidents, advanced driver technology could lower the demand for roadside assistance and vehicle repairs, potentially challenging businesses in those sectors as adoption increases. Additionally, self-driving cars may eliminate the need for high insurance premiums, as liability for accidents could shift away from individual drivers. This could pave the way for new business-to-business insurance models tailored to autonomous travel.
Adding momentum, Bloomberg reports that President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team plans to prioritize a federal framework for self-driving vehicles within the Transportation Department. Currently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) permits manufacturers to deploy 2,500 self-driving vehicles annually under exemptions. However, broader adoption of autonomous vehicles will likely require congressional action to establish comprehensive guidelines. Grayson Brulte, founder of The Road to Autonomy, a data and analysis firm specializing in self-driving technology, remarked:
“The companies want clarity on vehicles with no pedals and no steering wheel. There could be a fight over this, but if a federal framework is implemented, it could usher in the autonomy economy.”
Additionally, if new regulations permit the broader deployment of vehicles without human controls, it could significantly benefit Elon Musk. Musk, who has become an influential figure within the president-elect’s inner circle, has staked the EV maker’s future on self-driving technology and artificial intelligence. During his company’s recent quarterly earnings call, Musk expressed his intention to advocate for a streamlined federal approval process for autonomous vehicles, leveraging his position within the Trump administration to advance the regulatory framework for AV adoption.
A closeup of a self-driving hardware unit inside the dashboard of a passenger vehicle.
Our Methodology
In this article, we examined screeners and ETFs to identify leading companies actively engaged in the autonomous vehicle market. We ranked the top 10 stocks in ascending order based on hedge fund sentiment as of Q3 2024.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ:AUR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22
Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ:AUR) is a self-driving technology company specializing in autonomous vehicle software for the transportation and logistics sectors. Its technology serves both passenger vehicles and commercial trucking, with partnerships involving leading automotive manufacturers. Aurora’s unique position as the only publicly traded company focused exclusively on Level 4 autonomous trucks places it in a distinctive niche.
On November 26, Wolfe Research initiated coverage of Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ:AUR) with a Peer Perform rating. The company’s stock, which debuted on NASDAQ in 2021 at $10 per share, has dropped 36% since its launch but has staged an impressive recovery. Shares have surged over 400% from their December 2022 lows and are currently up 61.66% year-to-date. A recent boost followed reports that the Trump administration may ease federal regulations for self-driving vehicles. Wolfe Research projects the company’s revenue to approach $1 billion by 2028 and exceed $3 billion by 2030, driven by an estimated deployment of 20,000 autonomous trucks, representing roughly 1% of the U.S. Class 8 truck market by the decade’s end.
Aurora CEO and Co-founder Chris Urmson shared plans in a letter to shareholders for the company’s driverless launch lane between Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, set to begin operations in April 2025. He stated:
“We feel good about our progress and are confident in our ability to close the Safety Case for driverless operations on our launch lane. With additional visibility on the time needed to complete the aforementioned remaining validation, we now expect to launch commercially in April 2025.”
Overall, AUR ranks 9th on our list of best autonomous driving stocks to buy according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the potential of AUR, our conviction lies in the belief that certain AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AUR but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.