By year's end, autonomous vehicle software developer nuTonomy will begin testing its fleet of self-driving Renault Zoe electric cars on public streets in a designated area of Boston, the company said.
A new agreement with the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation authorizes Cambridge-based nuTonomy to test autonomous vehicles in Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park in Boston’s Seaport section. The company’s autonomous vehicle technology grew out of research conducted at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) labs run by nuTonomy cofounders Karl Iagnemma and Emilio Frazzoli.
“These tests in the City of Boston will enable our engineers to adapt our autonomous vehicle software to the weather and traffic challenges of this unique driving environment,” said Iagnemma, who serves as the CEO of nuTonomy. “Testing our self-driving cars so near to nuTonomy’s home is the next step towards our ultimate goal: deployment of a safe, efficient, fully autonomous mobility-on-demand transportation service.”
The testing in Boston will help nuTonomy build on the knowledge it has gained from public road tests and public trials conducted in the one-north business district in Singapore. The company plans to launch a self-driving mobility-on-demand service in Singapore in 2018.
During the Boston road tests, nuTonomy’s software system will learn local signage and road markings while gaining a deeper understanding of pedestrian, cyclist, and driver behavior in a complex urban driving environment, the company said. Additionally, nuTonomy plans to work with government officials to expand the testing area to other parts of the city in the near future.
The City of Boston will be able to carefully monitor the effects of autonomous vehicles and identify ways the technology can advance safety, access, and sustainability goals of Boston’s transportation plan, Go Boston 2030.
“Boston is ready to lead the charge on self-driving vehicles, and I am committed to ensuring autonomous vehicles will benefit Boston’s residents,” Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh said.
An engineer from nuTonomy will ride in each test vehicle to observe system performance and assume control if needed. The company will monitor and evaluate the software system’s performance throughout the testing phase.
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