CHENNAI: Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership with tech startup Minus Zero to develop self-driving trucks.

The initial focus of this collaboration will be on developing autonomous trucking solutions for ports, factory operations and corporate campuses. Future endeavors include expanding into hub-to-hub applications and long-haul trucking, subject to evolving regulatory frameworks surrounding autonomous driving, according to an Ashok Leyland statement.

The partnership is aimed at integrating Minus Zero's AI technology-based autonomous driving platform into Ashok Leyland’s fleet of commercial vehicles, the auto company said.

With global regulations and infrastructure evolving to support autonomous driving, this collaboration can extend to offer joint product offerings to international markets, the company added.

Minus Zero is a Begaluru-based startup that was founded in 2021 and is backed by technology venture capital fund Chiratae Ventures among other investors.