Uber and Autobrains plan launch of robotaxi program in Munich

Ride-hailing platform Uber and Israeli artificial intelligence company Autobrains are set to launch a joint robotaxi programme in Munich, aiming to deploy a fleet of Level 4 autonomous vehicles, dpa reports.

The project, announced on Monday, June 1, at the GTC technology conference in Taipei, involves introducing driverless taxis in the Bavarian capital using a computing platform developed by Nvidia.

The initiative is based on moving away from specially designed autonomous vehicles. Instead, the system is intended to be compatible with mass-produced cars from different manufacturers.

According to the companies, the platform is not tied to a specific automaker, allowing integration into vehicles from brands such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen.

Earlier robotaxi services, such as Waymo, have relied on heavily modified vehicles equipped with complex sensor systems. The new approach is designed to simplify scaling autonomous transport and reduce costs for automakers by allowing them to connect their own platforms to driverless taxi services.

German law permits autonomous driving under certain conditions and in designated areas, but the launch of a commercial service will depend on regulatory approval.

Details such as the initial vehicle models, fleet operator, safety drivers during testing, and exact rollout timelines have not yet been disclosed.

By Jeyhun Aghazada