Mobileye To Launch Autonomous Shuttles In US

Intel-owned autonomous vehicle technology firm Mobileye plans to work with patners to build and deploy self-driving electric shuttles in the US in 2024, according to a report, as it prepares for a stock market offering this year.

Executives consider the electric shuttles a way for Mobileye to expand its automated driving system beyond taxis and delivery vehicles, Reuters reported.

The company is to work with Germany’s Benteler EV Systems and Beep, a Florida-based provider of autonomous mobility services, on the on-demand driverless shuttles, which are to feature 12 to 14 seats and will have no steering wheel or pedal.

Regulatory challenge

They are to operate in restricted areas with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or under, Beep advisory board member Hinrich Woebcken told Reuters.

Johann Jungwirth, vice president of mobility-as-a-service at Mobileye, said the company would show US federal and state regulators that its autonomous system is safer than a human driver, a level analyst firm Forrester has argued could be more than ten years away.

He said he believes the technology is “actually close to being ready”.

The shuttles are aimed at helping save on driver costs, address driver shortages and reduce emissions and congestion in cities.

Benteler EV Systems, a subsidiary of German automotive parts group Benteler International, said it would build the shuttles to industry standards for public roads.

Mobileye is also planning to deploy robotaxis in Israel and Germany by the end of this year, pending regulatory approval, and is working with Silicon Valley startup Udelv to put automated electric delivery vehicles into service in the US by next year.

IPO plans

Last month at CES the Intel subsidiary showed an autonomous vehicle chip caled the EyeQ Ultra, saying the chip and the electronics to use it to power an autonomous vehicle would be available at scale in 2025 for less than $1,000 (£740), in a form that could potentially be added onto existing conventional vehicles to give them autonomous capabilities.

Through the end of 2021 Mobileye has shipped 100 million of its EyeQ processors. Its systems are in use by the likes of BMW, Volkswagen and major Chinese automaker Geely.

Intel said in December it would sell half its Mobileye stake to the public in an IPO in the first half of this year.

The unit competes with the likes of Tesla, as well as Uber, Waymo and Cruise in the autonomous vehicle market.