Hyperdrive

Self-Driving Tech Company Floats Possible Sale to Apple or Microsoft

  • Aurora’s Chris Urmson inadvertently sent board memo to staff
  • CEO laid out range of cost measures, go-private possibility

Chris Urmson

Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
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Aurora Innovation Inc.’s chief executive officer recently laid out a range of options for the self-driving company to respond to worsening market conditions and partners pushing out timelines, including a possible sale to Apple Inc. or Microsoft Corp., according to a document seen by Bloomberg.

Chris Urmson, who co-founded Aurora after running Google’s self-driving car project, also outlined cost cuts and floated measures including taking the company private, spinning off or selling assets and pursuing a small capital raise in a memo labeled “board discussion pre-read” and dated Aug. 3. Urmson inadvertently sent this to staff and asked them on Aug. 9 not to open it, the document shows.