Oxa has unveiled fully autonomous versions of the Ford E-Transit van and minibus, marking a significant leap forward in the commercialisation of self-driving technology.
The autonomous vehicle technology specialist has converted the E-Transit to run on its Oxa Driver software, enabling fully autonomous operation where permitted.
The vehicle is configurable for logistics needs in van form and passenger services as a minibus with up to 10 seats. The compact hardware also means there is no compromise on space inside the vehicle.
The E-Transit is equipped with standard automotive-grade sensors, including cameras, lidar and radar. Full 360-degree perception and long-range detection enable autonomous operation up to 35mph in mixed traffic. Manual controls are preserved, enabling the vehicle to be used flexibly in a non-autonomous mode.
Oxa tests and validates the E-Transits using a combination of controlled environments, real-world driving and virtual testing using its Spatial AI technology. This teams up generative AI, digital twins and simulation to allow accelerated training and evaluation tailored to the customers’ needs.
Oxa said the autonomous E-Transit offers a cost-effective platform for both goods delivery and passenger services all over the world.
“Making the Ford E-Transit available for autonomous operations is the next step on our journey to deliver safe, scalable, and sustainable autonomous solutions,” said Gavin Jackson, CEO of Oxa. “This vehicle represents an important milestone in our mission to reshape the future of passenger transportation and logistics.”
The new E-Transits are the first mass-production vehicles to be converted using Oxa’s Reference Autonomy Designs (RADs); design blueprints that allow for the rapid integration of autonomy on host vehicles, including ‘Driven by Oxa’ software and sensors, compute and drive-by-wire systems.
RADs are defined, prototyped and validated by Oxa, before being used by vehicle OEMs and approved upfitters to mass produce AVs, with flexible distribution and licensing models, delivering a vital way to scale commercial deployments of autonomous vehicles.
E-Transit vans and minibuses driven by Oxa are available now for integration into commercial fleets.
