Toyota, Aurora test-drive autonomous ride-hailing fleet in Texas

By Hyunjoo Jin

SAN FRANCISCO, March 23 (Reuters) – Japan’s Toyota Motor (7203.T) and Aurora Innovation Inc (AUR.O), a U.S. developer of automated driving systems, have started testing autonomous ride-hailing fleet in Texas, with two safety operators and no passenger on board, Aurora said on Tuesday.

Toyota’s Sienna minivans, retrofitted with Aurora’s self-driving system, will be tested on highways and suburban streets in the Dallas-Fort-Worth area, with the operation including trips enroute to an airport.

“The route showcases Aurora’s ability to safely operate at highway speeds, a key technical differentiator that allows it to prioritize popular and lucrative rides,” the U.S. company said in a statement.

Waymo said on Monday it is ready to deploy driverless vehicles in the densely populated San Francisco city, without giving a timeframe for the launch. read more

Aurora, led by Chris Urmson, a former head of Google’s self-driving car project that has since become Waymo, said it plans to continue adding vehicles to the fleet in preparation for commercial launch on ride-hailing networks such as Uber.

Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips