Oxbotica, a UK-based autonomous vehicle software developer, has been granted an automated vehicle (AV) permit recommendation by TÜV SÜD to conduct live trials in Germany.
It is the first time a UK-based automated vehicle company has gained an AV permit recommendation from the independent inspection body to perform trials on public roads in urban and rural areas in southern Germany.
The official trials started last month on public roads near Friedrichshafen, with a fleet of vehicles successfully navigating a complex urban environment. To gain the AV permit recommendation, Oxbotica had to meet a rigorous assessment framework including detailed hazard analysis and the combination of physical real-world tests and scenario-based simulations.
Having completed trials on the left-hand side of the road in the UK, the German AV permit means Oxbotica’s automated vehicle software has now proved itself capable of following the rules of the road and driving on the right in real-world conditions.
This validation testing brings Oxbotica another step closer towards the international commercial deployment of its autonomous software stack on urban and rural roads, and is a key milestone for the UK AV industry. The trials are helping Oxbotica to accelerate the development of its autonomous driving software.
Nadhim Zahawi, UK business and industry minister, said: “Ensuring that self-driving vehicles can master streets around the world, as well as here in the UK, is crucial in order to put the UK firmly in the driving seat of advances in autonomous technology.
“By testing these vehicles’ ability to drive on both sides of the road, Oxbotica’s public trials are opening the door to international markets and making sure that UK industry is at the forefront of innovation as we build back better from the pandemic.”
