Rimac could also be best known for its Nevera electric hypercar, however the Croatian technology company provides a big selection of services and intends to grow this within the near future with the launch of the Verne robotaxi service.
The service takes its name from famous French science fiction novelist Jules Verne, and can launch in 2026, Rimac announced on Wednesday.
The primary location was confirmed because the Croatian capital Zagreb, where Rimac’s headquarters are positioned. Locations within the U.K., Germany, and parts of West Asia are planned to follow, Rimac said.
The service will initially use an electrical compact hatch with sliding doors and two seats as its robotaxi. Based on Rimac, roughly 90% of trips have just one or two people on board.
Verne robotaxi
There’s not a steering wheel or pedals. As an alternative, the dash is fitted with a 43-inch digital screen that may display trip info or entertainment features. A touchpad between the seats might be used to interact with the vehicle. A dedicated app may even be launched alongside the service.
The self-driving technology might be sourced from Mobileye, and include lidar, radar, and camera sensors. Rimac is light on details but said the self-driving system might be ranked at Level 4 on the SAE scale of self-driving capability. Which means a vehicle that may drive by itself for prolonged periods, though inside certain conditions, the primary one typically being inside a geofenced area.
Volkswagen Group, an organization with close links to Rimac, may even depend on Mobileye technology for a robotaxi service using self-driving Volkswagen ID.Buzz vans. VW Group is testing prototypes for the robotaxi service in Hamburg, Germany, and in Austin, Texas, and anticipates the primary industrial service starting also around 2026.
Some robotaxi services are already in operation, like Waymo’s Waymo One service which operates in parts of the U.S., in addition to Baidu’s Apollo Go service in China. Tesla also plans to get in on the motion and has previously announced it can unveil a robotaxi on Aug. 8.
This Article First Appeared At www.motorauthority.com
