Pittsburgh autonomous vehicle company moving into new headquarters in Strip District

Aurora, a Pittsburgh-based autonomous vehicle company, will be moving into a new headquarters space in the Strip District.

They expect to move into the new location at 1600 Smallman Street by the spring, a company spokesperson said.

With over 100,000 square feet, the headquarters will house an array of employees, including engineers, technical operations staff, and IT. It will also feature a shop to house Aurora’s vehicle fleet.

Aurora has been headquartered in Pittsburgh since its inception in 2017. The company currently has more than 150 employees in their Pittsburgh office. Plus, they’re promoting an additional 50 job openings.

The company touted their ties to Pittsburgh, the city where they first drove autonomously through a test track, tunnels and snow. Aurora was the first autonomous vehicle company to be authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to test the technology in the state.

Their technology, dubbed the Aurora Driver, is designed to provide safer travel, as over 1 million people die in traffic accidents each year.

“The Strip District is a place steeped in history and character, but always evolving and vibrant,” Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said in a statement. “I am so happy they have settled in the new Smallman Street corridor and continue to call Pittsburgh home.”

Construction on the space will continue throughout the year. Employees are currently working remotely due to the covid-19 pandemic.