More in

Automotive

Oxa launches autonomous Ford E-Transit for van and minibus modes

News

Autonomous vehicle technology specialist Oxa has announced that its autonomous Ford E-Transit van and minibus is now driving on UK and US roads powered by Oxa Driver software.

Oxa driven Ford E-Transit vans and minibuses are now available for integration into commercial fleets
Oxa driven Ford E-Transit vans and minibuses are now available for integration into commercial fleets - Oxa

The Ford E-Transit now driven by Oxa software is claimed to offer a new cost-effective platform for goods delivery and passenger services globally.

"Making the Ford E-Transit available for autonomous operations is the next step on our journey to deliver safe, scalable, and sustainable autonomous solutions," Gavin Jackson, CEO of Oxa said in a statement. "This vehicle represents an important milestone in our mission to reshape the future of passenger transportation and logistics."

The new Ford E-Transits are the first mass-production vehicles to be converted using Oxa's Reference Autonomy Designs (RADs). These design blueprints allow for the rapid integration of autonomy on host vehicles, including ‘Driven by Oxa’ software and sensors, compute and drive-by-wire systems.

According to Oxa, commercial production of AVs requires the combination of manufacturing and autonomy expertise, underpinned by a flexible, adaptable approach. RADs are defined, prototyped and validated by Oxa, before being used by vehicle OEMs and approved upfitters to mass produce AVs with flexible distribution and licensing models that Oxa said are key to scaling commercial deployments of autonomous vehicles.

Related content

Oxa said its autonomous Ford E-Transit is designed to integrate into existing fleets and is configurable for logistics (van) and passenger services (up to 10 seats in minibus form).

The vehicle is equipped with standard automotive-grade sensors, including cameras, lidar and radar. Full 360-degree perception and long-range detection enable autonomous operation up to 35mph in mixed traffic. Manual controls are preserved, enabling the vehicle to be used flexibly in a non-autonomous mode. 

To assure the safe and efficient deployment of the Ford E-Transits, Oxa tests and validates using a combination of controlled environments, real-world driving and virtual testing using Oxa’s Spatial AI technology. Here, generative AI, digital twins and simulation allow accelerated training and evaluation tailored to the customers’ needs.

Oxa driven Ford E-Transit vans and minibuses are now available for integration into commercial fleets.