Mobileye Self-Driving Robotaxis Ready To Launch In Israel

Mobileye, the Intel subsidiary and developer of driver assistance technologies, released a new video on Tuesday demonstrating the unique traffic sensing capabilities of its autonomous robotaxi as it navigated itself with human-like precision to multiple destinations in Jerusalem. 

The company is expected to launch a pilot program for autonomous robtaxis, self-driving shuttles, and ride-hailing services in Munich and Tel Aviv later this year.

The 40-minute unedited footage, taken from inside the autonomous vehicle (AV,) shows the vehicle automatically responding to traffic developments and completing real-world driving maneuvers in real-time using its Mobileye Drive system and its unique environmental sensing system True Redundancy. 

True Redundancy consists of a computer vision subsystem and a full surround radar-LiDAR subsystem, both of which ensure a greater level of safety together than if they each worked independently.

“Mobileye Drive with True Redundancy defies industry norms with separate sensing subsystems that act as backups to one another,” said Johann Jungwirth, VP of mobility-as-a-service at Mobileye. “The very normal way in which the vehicle navigates very complex scenarios proves the value in this approach.”

As a result of this synchronous technology, the vehicle is able to perform all of the necessary maneuvers needed to safely traverse public roads. It can smoothly complete left turns at unprotected traffic junctions, yield to crosswalking and jaywalking pedestrians, correctly respond to traffic signals, and safely react to illegal and unexpected driver maneuvers exhibited by surrounding cars.

The successful demonstration helps to quell the skepticism surrounding the practicality of integrating autonomous transportation and traffic sensing technologies onto public roads. 

Mobileye aims to establish its driverless, ride-hailing robotaxi service in both Germany and Israel before the end of 2022, pending necessary regulatory approvals. 

Founded in 1999, Mobileye develops AI computer vision algorithms for driving assistance systems. The company was acquired by Intel in 2017 for $15.3 billion, in Israel’s biggest ever acquisition at the time. In December, Intel announced on Tuesday its intentions to take Israel’s Mobileye public in the United States in mid-2022 via an initial public offering (IPO).

The company has scaled AV test programs across multiple cities around the world, among other projects, and has also secured numerous deals for mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) programs in 2023 and consumer and business-to-business vehicle production designs for its self-driving system in 2024.