Plus’s proprietary AI-based virtual driver software, SuperDrive, addresses a $2 trillion trucking freight market in the U.S. and Europe, enabling safe and scalable autonomous trucking
Plus Automation Inc. (“Plus”), a Physical AI company commercializing AI-based virtual driver software for autonomous trucks, and Churchill Capital Corp IX (Nasdaq: CCIX) (“Churchill IX”), a special purpose acquisition company, announced today that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will operate as PlusAI.
Michael Klein, Chairman and CEO of Churchill IX, said, “Physical AI will be transformative across industries, and Churchill IX is excited to give public investors access to a leading company in the sector primed for AI-driven innovation. After evaluating many opportunities, we knew Plus was the right partner. Trucking is the backbone of the global economy but the industry faces a persistent driver shortage that autonomous trucking has the potential to solve. Broad adoption depends on confidence in vehicle performance and safety and Plus stands out with its advanced virtual driver platform and a customer-centric commercialization model led by OEM partners. With a software-focused, capital-efficient model, Plus is well positioned to scale and we’re excited to partner with their talented team to support the company’s next phase of growth.”
A Leader in Physical AI for Autonomous Trucking
Founded in Silicon Valley in 2016 by technology entrepreneurs with deep expertise in engineering, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, Plus set out to develop a leading virtual driver system. As an early adopter of the Autonomous Vehicle 2.0 paradigm, the company has pioneered a more efficient development approach—replacing hand-coded software with AI models to enable scalable, adaptive autonomy for physical applications.
Plus has deployed autonomous driving technology across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, which has been used for more than five million miles of driving. These real-world operations have generated a proprietary dataset that fuels Plus’s technology development. Leveraging this data and advanced generative AI models, Plus has built a generalizable “driving intelligence” platform using auto-labeling, model distillation, and highly optimized in-vehicle neural networks.
Plus’s self-driving system, SuperDrive, features a robust, three-layer redundancy architecture and is purpose-built to autonomously operate heavy commercial trucks. In April 2025, Plus achieved a key driver-out safety validation milestone with SuperDrive. Plus is currently conducting public road testing in Texas and Sweden with additional customer fleet trials scheduled for fall of 2025.
OEM-Led Commercialization Strategy
Plus’s go-to-market strategy is centered on deep integration with leading global commercial vehicle makers—TRATON GROUP, Hyundai, and IVECO—who we expect to factory-build, validate, deliver, and support autonomous trucks powered by Plus’s virtual driver. This OEM-led model enables scalable deployment through trusted manufacturing and service channels, providing fleet operators with a seamless path to autonomy.
