First came self-driving cars. Now, Waymo veterans are building autonomous construction

San Francisco-based Bedrock Robotics said Monday that excavators equipped with its autonomous AI system are now working without human operators on three commercial sites in Texas and Nevada. Machines equipped with Bedrock's technology are digging and moving earth on multiple projects, including a water.

The appeal of automating construction is clear. The industry faces labor shortages, high rates of worker deaths, and chronic delays.

What Happened

A construction site, however, is less predictable than a factory floor. Terrain, crews, and tasks can change by the day on construction sites, and it remains unclear whether autonomous machines can reliably adapt to changing conditions reliably and cheaply enough for contractors.

• More than 40% of the construction workforce is projected to retire by 2031, according to the National Center for Construction Education and Research.

• Bedrock, valued at $1.75 billion, was founded in 2024 to automate construction and accelerate housing, data center, and other infrastructure projects.

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Key Details

Bedrock's technology remains in early stages. For now, its autonomous AI system works only on excavators, which are deployed on three sites.

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Why It Matters

Bedrock's cofounder and chief technology officer, Kevin Peterson, compared the company's progress to Waymo's early days, when its autonomous cars operated within just a few city blocks. Bedrock retrofits excavators with sensors and onboard computing, enabling them to perceive their surroundings, plan.

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What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

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