PlusAI, a leader in AI-powered virtual driver software for autonomous trucks, and the TRATON GROUP, one of the world’s top commercial vehicle manufacturers, have expanded their global partnership to accelerate the development and large-scale deployment of on-highway autonomous trucking in the U.S. and Europe. The announcement comes as PlusAI advances toward a public listing through its previously announced business combination with Churchill Capital Corp IX (Nasdaq: CCIX). Under the expanded agreement, TRATON will commit up to $25 million in non-dilutive research and development funding to support the integration of PlusAI’s SuperDrive™ autonomous driving system into TRATON’s truck brands, including Scania, MAN, and International. In connection with PlusAI’s planned public listing, TRATON will nominate a representative to the PlusAI Board of Directors, strengthening strategic alignment as both companies prepare for a U.S. commercial launch. Additionally, TRATON will receive warrants that vest upon achieving key revenue milestones, creating a performance-based incentive structure to drive rapid commercial adoption. The partnership builds on a collaboration first announced in 2024, when TRATON selected SuperDrive™ as its standard on-highway autonomy platform. Since then, the companies have made significant progress, including the launch of autonomous fleet trials by International in Texas with a major North American logistics operator—marking a critical step toward real-world, driverless freight operations. David Liu, CEO and Co-Founder of PlusAI, highlighted the momentum: “We’ve moved autonomy from the lab to factory integration and now into real-world operations. With a unified Level 4 software stack operating across Europe and the U.S., proven platform integration, and customer pilots underway, we’re accelerating toward scaled commercial deployment.” TRATON’s Niklas Klingenberg, Executive Board Member for Research & Development, emphasized the strategic importance of autonomy: “From day one, PlusAI’s technical excellence and execution have exceeded our expectations. Autonomy is a core pillar of our long-term technology roadmap, offering higher uptime, improved value for fleets, and stronger competitiveness for our brands.” SuperDrive™ is an AI-native virtual driver system built on a “Reasoning–Reflex” architecture that combines learned driving intelligence with rule-based safety layers and redundancy. Trained on over seven million real-world miles across the U.S., Europe, and Asia—augmented by simulation and synthetic data—the system is designed for reliable, scalable Level 4 autonomy in heavy-duty trucking. The expanded partnership will focus on scaling operations in Texas, launching additional customer trials, advancing factory readiness for mass production, and defining operational design domains for commercial service in key U.S. and European freight corridors. TRATON and PlusAI plan to provide updates on their progress at PlusAI’s Investor Day on January 28, 2026, where TRATON leadership will join PlusAI and Churchill Capital executives. With the global freight market valued at over $2 trillion and ongoing challenges like driver shortages and rising costs, autonomous trucking represents a transformative opportunity. By combining TRATON’s manufacturing and service infrastructure with PlusAI’s cutting-edge AI software, the partnership aims to deliver factory-built, fully autonomous trucks with the performance, safety, and support fleets demand.