ZF is expanding its expertise in the future field of autonomous driving. The global technology major has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Oxbotica, a global leader in autonomous vehicle software, to develop a Level 4 self-driving system which will initially be deployed in passenger shuttles in major cities around the world.

ZF and Oxbotica will develop a Level 4 self-driving system that can be integrated into various vehicles including Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) shuttles to provide on-demand passenger and also goods transportation vehicles in urban environments.

The two companies share a joint vision for the future of mobility and the transformational potential that autonomous technology can have across multiple industries where people and goods move. The autonomous shuttle market will grow substantially over the next ten years with the potential to increase access to mobility, improve road safety, reduce congestion, and boost productivity.

As part of the collaboration, ZF has invested in Oxbotica and will take a seat on the company’s advisory board with a five percent share. The two companies started working together in 2019, with Oxbotica completing integration of its autonomous vehicle software with ZF’s ProAI, an AI capable automotive-grade compute platform, and ZF’s Full-Range Radar.

Ahead of the autonomous shuttle deployments, ZF and Oxbotica will work closely together to continue to develop the technology and on validation and verification of the integrated self-driving vehicle system.

"Together with Oxbotica, we are developing self-driving systems for autonomous people and cargo movers addressing the current challenges in public transport and logistics," said Torsten Gollewski, Executive Vice President, Autonomous Mobility Systems at ZF.

Paul Newman, co-founder and CTO of Oxbotica, said: “Partnering with ZF in developing an on-road passenger and goods transportation solution is an important milestone in Oxbotica’s commercial autonomy strategy. Our product will bring new options to cities and transport operators around the globe who must solve the complex mobility challenges of the future. The way people and goods move is changing.”