Autonomous vehicle software firm Oxbotica has partnered with Swedish electric car manufacturer NEVS to develop a fleet of self-driving, all-electric vehicles to be deployed on public roads by the end of next year.
According to the Oxford-based company, the partnership is creating a safer, more sustainable, and accessible passenger transportation solution for urban environments. Oxbotica will integrate its Driver autonomy system with the NEVS Sango vehicle.
“The combination of Oxbotica Driver and this stunning, next-generation, electric vehicle is a perfect match,”said Gavin Jackson, CEO at Oxbotica.
“It allows us to create an urban mobility service that will make roads safer, cleaner, and less congested and provide customers with a new way to travel.The partnership will truly change how the Earth moves and I can’t wait to see the first vehicles out on the road next year.”
An initial fleet will be deployed on geo-fenced public roads next year, followed by multiple projects in Europe in 2024. From 2025 onwards, the solution will be scaled across the globe, as part of the NEVS mobility ecosystem, which comprises the Sango vehicle, a fleet management system and an app as the user interface.
The wide scale adoption of shared, all-electric urban transportation has the potential to reduce congestion and lower emissions by replacing privately-owned, carbon-emitting cars with low-emission electric multi-passenger vehicles, Oxbotica said.
In addition, fewer cars on the roads will improve road safety, reduce the demand for parking spaces, and enable city planners to reimagine urban landscapes and introduce more green spaces.
NEVS Sango vehicle is designed specifically for autonomous driving and optimised for shared passenger transportation in cities. The all-electric, self-driving vehicle has an adaptable, flexible interior. The six movable seats can be operated in social or family mode for riding with friends or loved ones, while privacy walls can create four smaller areas for shared, private journeys.
Stefan Tilk, president at NEVS, added: “Having a partnership with Oxbotica and being able to progress substantially with its autonomous stack as the “driver”, will indeed make the ecosystem of our mobility solution complete. Through this partnership we will be able to deploy pilots and commercial fleets – ensuring a breakthrough in the movement of people in a green safe and smart way, paving the way for sustainable cities.”
