Self-driving cars will soon be coming to a street near you.
On Wednesday, nuTonomy became the first company authorized by the city of Boston to operate autonomous vehicles on public roads throughout the city.
nuTonomy, which is owned by Aptiv, has been testing their product in Boston’s Seaport District for the past 18 months. Over this time period, the nuTonomy software proved able to handle the area’s roads safely and efficiently. Having access to the more complex roads of downtown Boston will help the nuTonomy team develop more effective technology moving forward.
“To be the first (and only) company to be allowed to test city-wide is a testament to our exceptional safety record, and our team’s focus on building the world’s safest and smartest driverless vehicle software,” nuTonomy co-founder and president Karl Iagnemma said in a statement.
nuTonomy was created in Boston by Iagnemma, an MIT alum, and MIT faculty member Emilio Frazzoli. The company develops software that powers self-driving cars. Last year, they were acquired by global auto supplier Aptiv, then known as Delphi, for $450 million. Aptiv is working to bring autonomous vehicles to cities around the globe, most notably Boston and Singapore.
The nuTonomy team has been working with the city of Boston. Their work is one of several initiatives comprising Go Boston 2030, the city’s long-term mobility plan.
