Mobileye: Test phase with autonomous driving in Germany

Mobileye has completed the first step toward a test phase for autonomous driving on German roads. After extensive testing, TÜV Süd has issued an approval recommendation for an NIO ES8 retrofitted with AV technology from Mobileye. In all likelihood, such vehicles should soon be on trial in Germany – as part of mobility-as-a-service offerings.

Retrofitted NIO

The approval recommendation was explicitly issued for a NIO ES8 retrofitted with Mobileye technology for autonomous driving. Installed in this was the Mobileye Drive system, which uses two independent detection systems. It relies on a system consisting of thirteen cameras and one equipped with six surround radar, three long-range and six short-range surround lidar sensors. The necessary computing power is provided by a system on a chip. In addition to ensuring the functionality of the two detection systems, this also provides the necessary power for the use of maps and driving guidelines.

Mobility as a Service

The vehicles are to be deployed in the test phase in Munich and Darmstadt. There, they are to enable mobility-as-a-service offerings. Mobileye is referring here primarily to robotaxis and on-demand shuttles. Although the vehicle can drive fully automatically, however, it will be mandatory to have a human behind the wheel who can intervene in an emergency. So staff savings will not be possible despite the use of autonomous vehicles. However, Mobileye is likely to see the test phase with its conditions as only the first step toward completely automated mobility. This is also made clear by the statement from Johannes Jungwirth of Mobileye: “We are pleased that we have been able to take the next steps to bring our technology for self-driving vehicles to German roads.”

The necessary legal requirements for the test deployment of such systems in Germany and the EU were created last year. All this makes it clear that the steps toward automated mobility are being taken at an ever faster pace.