The German car rental company will partner with Mobileye to launch the driverless ride-hailing service in 2022
German car rental and ride-hailing company Sixt has announced a collaboration with Intel subsidiary Mobileye to pilot a new driverless “robotaxi” service in Munich next year. The autonomous ride-hailing service is set to launch in 2022, with plans to scale the service across Germany and other European countries later this decade.
The MoovitAV and Sixt-branded vehicles will use the Mobileye Drive integrated self-driving system. Customers can summons the rides through either of the brand’s apps.
The early-rider testing pilot was made possible thanks to a recently enacted autonomous vehicle law permitting driverless vehicles on German roads, according to Sixt.
Reuters reports that “The German law, passed in May, is the first federal law worldwide to permit autonomous driving in regular traffic, albeit only in set areas and with the requirement that the vehicle be overseen by a human.”
The fleet would move from test to commercial operations “upon regulatory approval,” according to Sixt.
“This strategic collaboration is the next step in expanding our integrated mobility platform ONE and underlines our company’s evolution towards becoming the industry’s leading provider of innovative and digital premium mobility,” commented Alexander Sixt, Co-CEO of Sixt SE.
“We are delighted to leverage the remarkable technology leadership of Mobileye to bring driverless mobility to customers in Germany and beyond.”