Delphi to Begin Autonomous Vehicle Testing in U.S., Europe

Delphi Automotive plc will launch pilot programs in a U.S. and European city early next year to test autonomous vehicle technologies.

The two cities will be announced by the end of this month, company officials tell Automotive News. The programs will be similar to the one Delphi announced earlier this year in Singapore, which will employ six self-driving vehicles that shuttle passengers to mass transit stations.

Delphi previously listed Boston, Pittsburgh, London and Luxembourg as potential candidates for the tests. The company hasn’t identified what vehicles it will retrofit with the technology. In previous Singapore tests it used four specially equipped Audi SQ5 crossover vehicles.

Delphi will make the radar and camera sensors for the program, Quanergy Systems will provide the lidar sensors and Mobileye will supply obstacle detection software, according to AN. Ottomatika Inc., which Delphi acquired last year, will write the software for the Intel computer chips to control braking, steering and throttle functions.

Initially a Delphi engineer will ride along with the vehicle to monitor performance and take control of the vehicle if necessary. Delphi aims to eliminate such “safety drivers” by 2019 and hopes to launch commercial service in 2022.

Delphi demonstrated its technology in Pittsburgh late last month. In September, Uber Technologies Inc. also began testing automated taxis in Pittsburgh, a challenging venue for self-driving cars because of the city's hilly urban environment and four clearly defined seasons.