Berlin-based mobility software and technology company door2door is to develop ride-pooling software for ‘Olli 2.0’ – an electric autonomous vehicle designed and manufactured by Arizona-based Local Motors.
The two companies have signed a strategic agreement for the joint product and market development of autonomous on-demand shuttles, as a first step in making Olli an integrated ecosystem and the most efficient, flexible solution for municipalities and private campuses in Europe.
The partnership comes at an inflection point for autonomous vehicles in the European Union. Last week, German lawmakers adopted the world’s first legal framework for autonomous driving to allow some autonomous vehicles (AVs) on public roads, pointing to the readiness of AVs to move from specialized pilot projects to commercial fleet applications.
door2door’s mobility analytics software will determine optimal parameters for mobility operators to run autonomous shuttles, supporting transit planners with simulations and demand/supply analysis. Further, door2door’s on-demand fleet management software will be deployed on Olli’s onboard HMI and passenger’s cell phone. Riders will be able to call Olli to their location and define a drop-off location within the vehicle’s operating domain. In order to fully optimize the joint autonomous shuttle service, door2door’s pooling algorithms will allow for shared rides.
“The partnership with door2door is an important step for Local Motors as we expand operations in Europe. door2door’s leading software will integrate well with Olli 2.0, creating a strong solution to scale as legislators recognize the viable applications of AVs,” said Carlo Iacovini, Local Motors EMEA general manager.
With over 60 deployments across Europe, door2door’s software helps to increase transit ridership and optimize transit investment by identifying gaps in cities, villages and rural areas. Local Motors has deployed multiple Olli vehicles in the EU, most recently providing thousands of rides in Hambach, Germany, and Ghent, Belgium.
“The key to success for autonomous vehicles is to combine hardware with software and thereby use the power that lies within pooling and routing. Based on our long term experience with on-demand mobility services, we will enable our customers to manage and optimize the operations of an autonomous vehicle fleet while providing an end-to-end, multi-modal seamless experience for their riders,” said André Gerhardy, door2door chief commercial officer.