• Fully electric, autonomous movers are expected on public roadways in the U.S. starting in 2024.
  • Project aims to help address “micro-transit” inequities in first- and last-mile transportation networks — including road congestion, road safety and mobility access.

 

Mobileye, an arm of Intel Corp., has entered into a strategic agreement to develop and deploy self-driving movers that are expected to hit public roads in the U.S. in 2024.

Other companies that are part of the agreement include Benteler EV Systems and Beep Inc.

Intel has a major presence in Rio Rancho, where it is working on a $3.5 billion investment to equip the plant for its semiconductor packaging technologies. The company employs about 2,000 and is expected to add another 700.

The autonomous mover from Benteler will be underpinned by Mobileye’s self-driving system, Mobileye Drive, and supported by Beep’s deployment and operations systems, technology and services.

“Multipassenger micro-transit needs are ever-increasing in our cities and towns globally and must be addressed in order to reduce road congestion, protect the environment and provide safe, reliable mobility for all to access,” said Hinrich Woebcken, advisory board member for Beep and former CEO of Volkswagen North America, in a press release.

“Bringing to market an affordable, automotive-grade, electric, autonomous mover is a solution that will transform mobility as we know it today,” he said.

Each company in this deal has areas of expertise: Beep in the operations of micro-transit and mobility solutions, Benteler in the design and manufacturing of automotive solutions and safety systems, and Mobileye in the delivery of automated driving solutions.

Benteler EV Systems will develop an autonomous mover and integrate subsystems into the final vehicle, including the industrialization and production of the mover. Production will take place in the U.S., with plans for other countries.

“Autonomous movers are the solution for future public transportation, solving the mobility challenges of increasing urbanization and emissions,” said Marco Kollmeier, managing director of Benteler EV Systems GmbH.

Mobileye has shipped more than 100 million of its computer vision solutions for the driving-assistance market. It operates in Israel, Germany, Japan, China, France and the U.S.

Related Intel news.