Oxbotica, an autonomous vehicle software provider, has completed the first safe deployment of a zero-occupancy, fully autonomous, new-type electric vehicle on publicly accessible roads in Europe.
The AppliedEV vehicle, driven by Oxbotica, is operating in Oxford with no on-board driver, marking the next step in commercialising AV technology. The target for the first public on-road business deployment with Ocado Group, with a goods delivery variant, completing customer orders will be from 2023 onwards.
Oxbotica added it will also now accelerate commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles globally. Working with partners, such as ZF, Bp and NEVS, it will enable autonomous passenger shuttles and industry-specific platforms, all driven by Oxbotica’s core product: Oxbotica Driver.
Oxbotica Driver uses a combination of radar vision and laser-based sensors to provide the vehicle with a rich understanding of its surroundings, with multiple AI continuously checking and explaining decisions. The Oxford-based company said this process is a foundational requirement for the safe deployment of zero-occupancy autonomous vehicles and underpins the development of innovative insurance solutions for the future of transportation.
Gavin Jackson, Oxbotica CEO, said: “This Europe-first trial positions the UK as the number one destination for autonomous vehicle development and leapfrogs us towards commercialisation and the subsequent economic benefits available in this hyper-growth technology category.
“Autonomous vehicles will create billions of pounds in new revenues and generate thousands of high-skilled jobs, while helping cities and businesses meet their targets for carbon reductions. Our zero-occupancy, all-electric, fully autonomous prototype is exactly the new-type vehicle that will form the mainstay of the transportation industry for decades to come.”
This on-road journey follows two years of extensive trials by Oxbotica to define its robust safety case and develop its system architecture, in both off and on-road operations across the UK, Europe and North America.
