Hyundai-Backed Motional Bringing Automated Vehicles To Santa Monica

Hyundai-Backed Motional Bringing Automated Vehicles To Santa Monica

Automated driving system development company Motional is expanding its operations in California. Motional was formed in 2020 as a joint venture between Hyundai and supplier Aptiv APTV . In 2018, Motional (then under the Aptiv brand) started one of the first commercial ride-hailing services using automated vehicles in partnership with Lyft LYFT in Las Vegas. By the end of 2021, it will have vehicles running in the Santa Monica area. Motional has had an office in Santa Monica since 2016 where engineers have been working on machine learning and hardware for the automated systems. The new expansion will add a vehicle service depot and bring a test fleet to the area for the first time. Motional test drivers will begin collecting data to build high-definition maps of the area this month and the goal is to have vehicles operating in automated mode in the next few months. Motional also has vehicles operating in Boston where it is based, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and Singapore. The Singapore effort is part of a pilot program to provide first mile/last mile services that connect local residents to transit stations and has been operating since 2016. In Las Vegas, anyone using the Lyft ride-hailing app