It's not certain when Kache.ai might publicly reveal its plans. The company hasn't responded to requests for comment.

It's not at all shocking that Levandowski would return to the field he's best known for, though. Between his influential work at Google (where he helped develop Street View and early self-driving tech), Uber and Otto, he has massive amounts of experience in the area.

The question is whether or not the company will escape the shadow of Levandowski's past. If Kache.ai uses LiDAR to guide self-driving trucks, that could make investors worry that he's 'borrowing' technology from former employers. You don't absolutely need LiDAR for autonomy, though. And if Kache.ai either goes without the sensing tech or otherwise departs from Levandowski's most familiar work, it could serve as a fresh start that suggests the disgraced entrepreneur has cleaned up his act.