Självkörande fordon utan gränser: Global expansion i full fart

A clear trend is emerging: AV players are increasingly moving across continents. A great example is Ohmio, the New Zealand-based shuttle provider that has so far focused on the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. Now, they’re establishing a U.S. headquarters in Riverside, California, aiming to integrate their AVs into the Riverside public transit system.

Still in the Asia-Pacific, Japan’s Tier IV has launched a compelling open-source offering—both a software stack and vehicle specification. Meanwhile, Nissan successfully demonstrated a driverless vehicle on public roads in Yokohama, using a system developed at its Silicon Valley office. However, current Japanese regulations for SAE Level 4 require such vehicles to be monitored by a small army of remote supervisors.

China continues to establish itself as a hotspot for commercial robotaxi operations. The latest development comes from Guangzhou, where ComfortDelGro (a major ride-hailing and taxi operator headquartered in Singapore) has deployed a new driverless service using technology provided by Pony.ai.

China isn’t just innovating at home—it’s exporting its AV tech too. WeRide will soon launch its Robobus in Drôme, France, as part of a partnership with Beti, Renault Group, and Macif, delivering a Level 4 autonomous shuttle service.

Elsewhere in Europe, ZF Mobility Solutions (a division of Tier 1 supplier ZF Group) has secured a highly comprehensive test permit for SAE Level 4 operations across Germany. Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s MOIA unit is capitalizing on Scandinavian winter conditions to test its vehicles in Oslo, Norway.

Crossing the Atlantic, MOIA’s German peer Holon is also expanding into the U.S. market. It’s partnering with Beep and Benteler Mobility, and plans to build a new manufacturing plant in Florida.

Naturally, the U.S. remains a major hub for AV activity, and Waymo continues to lead the charge. Its commercial operations now cover almost the entire Bay Area peninsula, and it has finally reached an agreement with San Francisco International Airport to begin preparing for passenger pickups and drop-offs.

Uber is steadily increasing its AV involvement through multiple partnerships, causing headaches for its Chief Product Officer. Interestingly, Uber’s former CEO has expressed regret over divesting its in-house AV development arm to Aurora. Too late…

Despite the U.S.’s leading role, the AV industry still faces regulatory hurdles. A coalition of AV stakeholders has approached the new federal administration, urging streamlined regulations and AV-specific policy adaptations.

And finally, back to cross-continental collaboration—how about South Korea’s Hyundai partnering with Avride (a spin-off from Russia’s Yandex) to launch a robotaxi service in Dallas, Texas? A fitting note to end on in this globally connected AV story.