Technology company ZF has signed a strategic partnership agreement with UK-based autonomous vehicle software developer Oxbotica to create a Level 4 self-driving system, which will initially be deployed in passenger shuttles in cities around the world.
ZF and Oxbotica aim to develop a Level 4 self-driving system that can be integrated into various vehicles including Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) shuttles. These solutions are designed to provide on-demand passenger and goods transportation for urban environments.
As part of the collaboration ZF has invested in Oxbotica and will take a seat on the company’s advisory board with a 5% share.
“The entry investment underlines our confidence in Oxbotica’s capabilities. Together with Oxbotica, we are developing self-driving systems for autonomous people and cargo mover addressing the current challenges in public transport and logistics,” said Torsten Gollewski, executive vice president, autonomous mobility systems at ZF.
The two companies started working together in 2019, with Oxbotica completing integration of its autonomous vehicle software with ZF’s ProAI, an artificial intelligence capable automotive-grade compute platform, and ZF’s Full-Range Radar.
Ahead of the autonomous shuttle deployments, ZF and Oxbotica will work on validation and verification of the integrated self-driving vehicle system.
Paul Newman, co-founder and CTO of Oxbotica, added: “Partnering with ZF in developing an on-road passenger and goods transportation solution is an important milestone in Oxbotica’s commercial autonomy strategy.
“Our product will bring new options to cities and transport operators around the globe who must solve the complex mobility challenges of the future. The way people and goods move is changing.”
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