SoftBank-backed Wayve begins AI test drives in San Francisco

LOS ANGELES: Wayve Technologies Ltd., the UK startup that raised more than $1 billion this year from investors led by SoftBank Group, is joining the bevy of companies testing out automated driving in and around Silicon Valley.

The London-based developer of artificial intelligence software for vehicles announced Wednesday that it’s opened a new office in Sunnyvale, California, and will start testing its driver-assistance system in San Francisco and the Bay area.

This will be the company’s first road trials outside the UK.

Wayve is working on AI software that will enable cars to perceive and understand their surroundings and navigate roads without pre-programmed rules or digital maps.

SoftBank led a $1.05 billion investment in the closely held company in May, with Nvidia Corp. and Microsoft Corp. also chipping in.

Uber Technologies Inc. extended the round in August with an investment and partnership.

Several high-profile incumbents in the autonomous-vehicle space, led by Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo, have commercialized or are in the process of launching their own ride-hailing services.

Wayve, by contrast, aims to offer its products to automakers and vehicle fleet owners.

It’s used Ford Mustang Mach-E and Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs as development vehicles but has yet to announce an order from a major manufacturer.

Wayve will test in the Bay area with safety drivers behind the wheel of 20 cars. The company plans to initially hire roughly 140 people.

San Francisco has been a hotbed of activity for companies working on autonomous driving dating back at least 15 years. Waymo now runs a 24/7 paid service ferrying riders around the city with no one in the driver’s seat.

While testing and commercial operations have spread across the US, many established players have said the city’s hilly terrain and complex traffic make it an opportune location for development.

"San Francisco’s unique driving conditions offer rich data insights that will be crucial in further developing a global AI platform for automotive customers,” Alex Kendall, Wayve’s co-founder and chief executive officer, said in a statement.