Trey Taparauskas Joins Bedrock Robotics to Accelerate Driverless Excavator Rollout

Trey Taparauskas, the CEO of Champion Site Prep, is adopting autonomous machinery to keep pace with the rapid expansion of data centers and aerospace projects in Austin, Texas. Facing a persistent shortage of skilled equipment operators, Taparauskas plans to deploy driverless excavators powered by Bedrock Robotics later this year.

With construction demand accelerating, Taparauskas says the first commercial units could allow his company to scale faster and meet contracts that would otherwise strain its workforce. Prototype systems have already been operating since late last month, offering a glimpse into what fully autonomous dirt-moving could look like on active job sites.

Bedrock Retrofits Excavators for Full Autonomy

Bedrock Robotics, a San Francisco–based startup founded by former Waymo engineers, is equipping existing excavators with cameras, lidar sensors, GPS, and cellular connectivity to enable 360-degree awareness and driverless operation. Unlike remote-controlled systems that still rely on off-site operators, Bedrock aims to eliminate human operators from the cab entirely.

The company recently raised $270 million in a Series B funding round co-led by CapitalG, Valor Equity Partners, and Atreides Management, bringing its valuation to a reported $1.75 billion. The fresh capital is expected to support commercialization as Bedrock prepares to begin sales later this year.

Bedrock CEO Boris Sofman, who previously led engineering initiatives at Waymo, has compared the company’s strategy to Waymo’s retrofit model. Instead of manufacturing vehicles from scratch, Bedrock integrates its autonomous systems into existing heavy machinery, leveraging modern drive-by-wire hydraulic controls.

Data Centers and Quarries Seen as Ideal Test Grounds

Construction firms see particular promise in repetitive, controlled environments such as data center sites and quarries. Zachry Construction has worked with Bedrock Robotics for about a year, allowing the startup to train its AI models on multiple pieces of equipment. 

For Taparauskas, the immediate opportunity lies in simple, repeatable dirt-moving tasks. Traditional operators typically work 10-hour shifts but may only achieve six to eight hours of peak productivity due to fatigue. Autonomous machines, by contrast, could deliver consistent output throughout a shift.

He estimates productivity gains could range from 20% to 40% per machine. Even if output merely matches that of human operators, he argues the safety improvements alone could justify adoption. Construction sites carry inherent risks, and removing operators from heavy equipment cabins may reduce the likelihood of accidents caused by blind spots or fatigue.

Is Bedrock Robotics Publicly Traded?

Bedrock Robotics is privately held and not listed on public exchanges. Investors looking to track developments can find additional details through TipRanks’ private company center.