Mobility platform Bolt, autonomous driving firm Pony.ai and car manufacturer Stellantis are launching a pilot programme for autonomous transport in Luxembourg. The parties will be testing Stellantis’ L4-Ready Platform and the autonomous driving technology from the Chinese firm Pony.ai in everyday traffic in Luxembourg.
The pilot project being launched by the parties is a so-called ‘living lab’. This will test the technologies and operational processes required to enable safe autonomous transport in cities. This includes the deployment of vehicles and integration with ride-hailing platforms, as well as fleet management and coordination with the authorities.
Each party is contributing its own technology and expertise. Bolt is contributing its expertise in ride-hailing platforms, whilst Stellantis is making its L4-Ready Platforms, technical expertise and manufacturing know-how available. Pony.ai is contributing its autonomous driving technology.
L4-Ready Platform
The collaboration utilises Stellantis’ L4-Ready Platform. This platform is specifically designed for Level 4 (L4) autonomous driving. L4 is a standard within autonomous driving technology whereby vehicles can drive completely autonomously under specific conditions, without human intervention.
The L4-Ready Platform provides the necessary hardware and software infrastructure – such as sensors, computing power and algorithms – to support safe and reliable autonomous functions. The platform is scalable and flexible, and, according to Stellantis, can be deployed across various vehicle segments, ranging from passenger cars to vans.
Software and hardware for autonomous vehicles
Pony.ai is a Chinese autonomous driving company, founded in 2016 by Dr James Peng and Lou Tiancheng. The company develops software and hardware for autonomous vehicles, with a focus on urban transport. Pony.ai is not a newcomer to the sector and its vehicles have already covered millions of kilometres.
Pony.ai’s seventh-generation (Gen-7) autonomous vehicles are the latest iteration of the company’s autonomous driving system, designed for use in urban environments. According to the available information, these vehicles are equipped with advanced sensors, such as lidar, cameras and radar, which, in combination with AI-driven software, analyse real-time traffic situations and make decisions. Many details about the technology are not yet known.
European mobility platform
Bolt is a European mobility platform, founded in 2013 by Markus Villig in Estonia. The company offers services in the areas of ride-hailing (taxi alternatives), bike-sharing, e-scooters and food delivery. It operates in more than 45 countries and 500 cities worldwide. The project with Stellantis and Pony.ai is Bolt’s first pilot project in the field of autonomous driving.
Stellantis, Pony.ai and Bolt say they aim to be ready for driverless journeys by the end of the pilot project.
Image: Stellantis
