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An Oxa-driven Beep vehicle at the SunTrax testing facility in Auburndale, FL. | Source: Oxa
Beep Inc, a provider of autonomous shared mobility systems, and Oxa, previously known as Oxbotica, have partnered to deploy autonomous vehicles (AVs) driven by Oxa in the United States. This will be UK-based Oxa’s first entry into the US market.
This strategic partnership between the two companies will involve Oxa’s autonomy software being installed in a variety of vehicle types operated by Beep. These vehicles can include anything from current passenger shuttles to future vehicle platforms.
“We are thrilled to be working with Beep to deploy our unique autonomy solution to enable safe, secure and efficient passenger transportation in the United States,” Gavin Jackson, CEO at Oxa, said. “This marks a significant step forward for Oxa and the future of self-driving technology. Through partnering with Beep, we have the potential to drive several thousand vehicles over the coming years to make Oxa software the most widely utilized AV platform on the planet.”
The Oxa Driver is a software platform that enables safe and energy-efficient self-driving of any vehicle type in any environment. The software combines sensor data from cameras, lidar, and radar, which enables it to gain a more comprehensive view of the world around it than cameras would alone.
This software uses AI to accurately sense and predict changes to the vehicle’s environment while learning from previous journeys, which is key to improving the capability of the technology over time.
Two Beep shuttles featuring Oxa software are already operating at the recently opened SunTrax test facility in Auburndale, FL. Oxa is using the facility to showcase its passenger transportation system ahead of its planned public availability later this year.
“We’re delighted to partner with Oxa to bring new and enhanced electric, autonomous vehicles to market as we continue to expand our testing and our business across the United States,” Joe Moye, CEO at Beep, said. “Oxa’s self-driving software, integrated with our command center and service management software, provides a safe and sophisticated autonomous solution that will enhance our passenger experience and operational capabilities, making more accessible, true autonomous use cases a near-term reality. Safe, shared autonomous transportation promises a major impact on traffic congestion, road safety and the environment, and we’re pleased to have a partner who shares these priorities and values in Oxa.”
Earlier this year, Oxa announced that it brought in $140 million in Series C funding, bringing the company’s total funding to date to $225 million. With the funding, it aimed to drive expansion into new geographical markets and more quickly deploy its autonomy software.
