Toyota and Uber have agreed to extend their collaboration and integrate Uber’s ride-sharing network into purpose-built Toyota vehicles as a means of advancing autonomous ride-sharing as a mobility service and bringing it to market.
Both companies envision that the mass-produced autonomous vehicles will be owned and operated by mutually agreed upon third party autonomous fleet operators.
“Uber’s automated driving system and Toyota’s Guardian system will independently monitor the vehicle environment and real-time situation, enhancing overall vehicle safety for both the automated driver and the vehicle,” said Dr. Gill Pratt, Toyota Research Institute CEO and TMC fellow.
“Combining efforts with Uber, one of the predominant global ride-sharing and automated driving R&D companies, could further advance future mobility,” said Toyota Motor Company executive vice president Shigeki Tomoyama.
