Oxa, a U.K.-based company specializing in autonomous vehicle technology, is making strides in reshaping urban transit. During the Google Cloud Next event in San Francisco, Oxa unveiled its partnership with fellow transportation tech firm Beep. Together, they aim to utilize Google Cloud’s suite of tools to bring autonomous transportation to the United States.
Gavin Jackson, CEO of Oxa, explained that their role is to provide the software that controls Beep’s fleet of vehicles. This software ensures the safe transportation of people for their daily commutes and leisure activities. “This marks a significant step forward for Oxa and the future of self-driving technology. Through partnering with Beep, we have the potential to drive several thousand vehicles over the coming years to make Oxa software the most widely utilized AV platform on the planet.”
Project Funding
Oxa has been raising funds for its vision, securing $140 million in Series C funding earlier this year. Their mission is to combat the congestion caused by single-occupancy vehicles on the roads. They intend to make urban transit more efficient and sustainable by introducing autonomous shuttles and buses.
Paul Newman, Oxa’s CTO and President, stressed the importance of reducing highway congestion.
“We don’t necessarily think that the application of autonomy being applied to single occupancy, personal cars, or Uber-like robotaxis, is going to dramatically improve things but eventually make things worse,” Newman said. “I don’t think it will be better for society overall.”
Oxa’s approach involves close collaboration with regulators. They consider regulators as partners in enabling this technology to progress. This partnership is crucial for advancing autonomous transportation while ensuring safety and transparency.
