Hyundai, in collaboration with Pony.ai and Via, has unveiled BotRide, a shared, on-demand, autonomous vehicle service operating on public roads.
From November 4, a fleet of self-driving Hyundai KONA Electric SUVs will provide a free ridesharing service to the local community of Irvine, California.
“The pilot will introduce BotRide to several hundred Irvine residents, including college students. The goal is to study consumer behavior in an autonomous ridesharing environment,” said Christopher Chang, head of business development, strategy and technology division, Hyundai Motor Company. “We are going to learn about ecosystems, where the vehicles travel, and optimize the customer experience.”
Hyundai partnered with autonomous mobility specialist Pony.ai to build the self-driving system; and with traffic network provider Via to create the BotRide on-demand ridesharing technology and application. Using the BotRide app (available on both iOS and Android), riders can hail an autonomous Hyundai KONA Electric SUV directly from their smartphone. Via’s advanced algorithms enable multiple riders to share the same vehicle, outfitted with Pony.ai autonomous vehicle technology. The app directs passengers to nearby stops for pickup and drop-off, enabling quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours, or inconvenient fixed routes and schedules.
Integrated Hyundai and Pony.ai technologies enable the BotRide vehicles to navigate complex road scenarios safely. These vehicles are equipped with Pony.ai’s latest sensor hardware and proprietary software to identify the precise position of surrounding vehicles, handle pedestrian traffic in urban areas, accurately monitor its surroundings, predict the behavior of other road users, and precisely plan actions accordingly.
BotRide will launch with multiple popular destinations where a passenger can hail a ride using its app. The service area covers several residential, commercial and institutional points of interest. BotRide’s technology prioritizes passenger-to-system interactions such as automated onboard passenger verification, giving travelers the chance to familiarize themselves with technologies expected to become commonplace in an autonomous mobility future.
“Through BotRide, Hyundai is leveraging cutting-edge autonomous vehicle and mobility technologies to introduce a new, safe and convenient form of transportation to the public,” said Daniel Han, manager, Advanced Product Strategy, Hyundai Motor America.
“The BotRide pilot represents an important step in the deployment and eventual commercialization of a growing new mobility business. In addition to the technology partners powering BotRide, the broader city and community ecosystem have also played an important role in making BotRide possible. The pilot can serve as an example of how cities and companies can come together to truly enable smart cities and smart transportation systems of the future.”