SELF-driving cars backed by Uber and Softbank are coming to the US.
Wayve, a British-based AI company, are set to begin testing their vehicles in San Francisco and in California’s Bay Area – their first on-road trials outside of the UK.
Self-driving cars backed by Uber and Softbank are coming to the US[/caption]
Wayve, a British-based AI company fronted by CEO Alex Kendall, are set to begin testing their vehicles in San Francisco and in the Bay Area[/caption]
Founded in 2017, Wayve uses vehicles with advanced human-like driving capabilities with an emphasis for safety, with their AI Driver capable of adapting to “unexpected and unseen situations”.
The company’s progress comes just two months after ride-hailing giant Uber revealed it would back Wayve – while investments from Microsoft and leading chip-maker, Nvidia, were announced back in May.
It’s expected that Wayve’s self-driving vehicles will eventually become available on Uber’s network across the world, with the brand’s Series C funding set to help it expand into new markets, attract global talent, and build geographically diverse data assets.
Wayve CEO Alex Kendall said in a statement: “We are now testing our AI software in real-world environments across two continents.
“San Francisco’s unique driving conditions offer rich data insights that will be crucial in further developing a global AI platform for automotive customers.”
Wayve has developed AI algorithms which analyse real-life driving scenarios to control a vehicle’s steering wheel, throttle, indicators and brakes.
Its technology can be retrofitted to cars that are already in production.
They even say this new tech has the potential to enhance the safety of AI vehicles, which can make the roads safer for humans.
The tech giants already work with UK-based shopping giants Asda, formerly owned by Walmart, to deliver groceries to 4,000 households in London with self-driving wagons.
Under current regulations, the vans still need a safety driver, but they can be operated “hands-free”.
This comes nearly a year after General Motors’ backed AI taxi firm Cruise halted its own operations in San Fransisco following a safety incident.
The company has since returned to the Bay Area with a driver behind the wheel.
This comes as Tesla’s flagship ride-share service offering $2 driverless journeys across a major US city has completed 30,000 rides in its first year, the company claims.
Elsewhere, Automaker Stellantis, one of the world’s biggest maker of cars and owner of brands such as Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep, has seen earnings and sales dip within the last year.
So much so that the car giant is selling off a massive test track located in the middle of the desert – as it fights to save its struggling business.
The company is working with Uber for a future on self-driving taxis[/caption]
This new tech has the potential to enhance the safety of AI vehicles, which can make the roads safer for humans[/caption]
