California DMV Grants Argo AI Permit for AV Testing in Palo Alto
Argo AI, with whom Ford is partnering in the development of autonomous vehicle technology and implementation, has been granted a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to conduct AV tests on public roads.
Earning a permit from the California DMV to test in Palo Alto gives Ford and Argo AI five testing locations in the United States. Argo AI currently tests in Miami; Washington, D.C.; Pittsburgh; and Ford’s stomping ground of Dearborn. The former two are current testing grounds for autonomous vehicle services pilots, while the latter two are research and development test sites.
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Ford and Argo AI intend to bring autonomous vehicles to market for commercial services by 2021. The addition of testing capabilities in Palo Alto will help Argo AI in its goal of having more than 100 vehicles in its test fleet by year’s end. Per Automotive News, Ford is expected to announce a third pilot city for its AV commercial services some time this year.
Ford in November 2017 invested $1 billion in Argo AI for the development of a virtual driver system. Argo AI was co-founded by CEO Bryan Salesky, formerly of Alphabet Inc., and COO Peter Rander, formerly of Uber.
“We are at an inflection point in using artificial intelligence in a wide range of applications, and the successful deployment of self-driving cars will fundamentally change how people and goods move,” said Salesky when Ford was announced as a stakeholder in the company. “We are energized by Ford’s commitment and vision for the future of mobility, and we believe this partnership will enable self-driving cars to be commercialized and deployed at scale to extend affordable mobility to all.”
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News Source: Automotive News (subscription required)
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