Intel's Mobileye & Udelv to Deploy 35,000 Driverless Vehicles

Mobileye Expands into Autonomous Delivery Services

Intel’s subsidiary, Mobileye, is significantly advancing its objectives in the realm of autonomous vehicles with a new venture into the delivery sector.

The company announced on Monday an agreement with Udelv to provide its self-driving system for integration into thousands of specifically designed autonomous delivery vehicles.

Deployment Plans and Initial Orders

The collaborative effort aims to deploy over 35,000 autonomous vehicles, known as Transporters, on urban roadways by the year 2028. Commercial operations are projected to commence in 2023.

Donlen, a leading U.S. company specializing in commercial fleet leasing and management, has already placed the initial preorder for 1,000 of these Udelv Transporters.

Strategic Partnership Benefits

This announcement represents a key development for both organizations. Udelv, originally founded as an autonomous vehicle delivery startup, has chosen to leverage Mobileye’s self-driving capabilities.

The company will now concentrate on “developing the hardware and software essential for autonomous deliveries,” as stated by CEO Daniel Laury in a communication to TechCrunch.

Laury explained that automating last and middle mile deliveries presents complex engineering challenges related to diverse goods and delivery methods.

“Partnering with Mobileye allows Udelv to dedicate its resources to refining the business application, while Mobileye provides the tools for rapid scaling – a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Mobileye’s Expanding Role

For Mobileye, this signifies another step in its evolution from a developer of camera-based sensors – currently utilized by the majority of automakers for advanced driver assistance systems – to a comprehensive autonomous driving solutions provider.

Currently, more than 54 million vehicles are equipped with Mobileye technology.

Jack Weast, a senior principal engineer at Intel and vice president of Automated Vehicle Standards at Mobileye, highlighted the potential for significant scale in a recent interview.

“This officially marks the first demonstration of Mobileye’s technology being applied to goods delivery, in addition to the other areas we’ve already announced.”

From ADAS to Full Autonomy

Acquired by Intel in 2017 for $15.3 billion, Mobileye has broadened its focus in recent years.

The company has moved beyond ADAS technology and is now actively developing a complete self-driving vehicle system.

Over two years ago, Mobileye unveiled plans for a kit encompassing visual perception, sensor fusion, its REM mapping system, and sophisticated software algorithms.

In 2018, the company unexpectedly announced its intention to operate a robotaxi service, rather than solely functioning as a supplier.

Mobileye also intends to deploy autonomous shuttles in collaboration with Transdev ATS and Lohr Group throughout Europe, and to launch an autonomous ride-hailing service in Israel in early 2022.

Beyond Robotaxis: A Wider Vision

This latest agreement underscores Mobileye’s ambition to extend the application of its self-driving systems beyond the realm of robotaxis.

Mobileye Drive: The Core Technology

The self-driving system, now known as Mobileye Drive, comprises a system-on-chip compute unit, redundant sensing subsystems utilizing camera, radar, and lidar technology, the REM mapping system, and a rules-based Responsibility-Sensitive Safety (RSS) driving policy.

Mobileye’s REM mapping system leverages data crowdsourced from over 1 million vehicles equipped with its technology to create high-definition maps.

These maps support both ADAS and autonomous driving systems.

Integration and Support

Udelv will collaborate with Mobileye to integrate the self-driving technology with its proprietary delivery management system.

Mobileye will also provide ongoing over-the-air software support throughout the vehicles’ operational lifespan.

Transporter Design and Capabilities

These purpose-built vehicles will differ from conventional trucks or delivery vans, lacking typical mechanical features.

They are designed to achieve Level 4 self-driving capability, as defined by SAE, enabling fully autonomous operation under specific conditions.

Features include four-directional steering, LED screens for customer interaction, and specialized compartments for secure cargo transport.

Teleoperations for Complex Scenarios

A teleoperations system will be implemented to facilitate vehicle maneuvering in challenging environments such as parking lots, loading zones, apartment complexes, and private roadways, according to Udelv.