Michigan-based May Mobility vehicle fleet to integrate advanced LiDAR products from fast-growing Silicon Valley-based LiDAR manufacturer
San Jose, Calif. & Ann Arbor, Mich.–Cepton Technologies, Inc., a provider of 3D LiDAR solutions for automotive, industrial and mapping applications, today announced a partnership with May Mobility, the first developer of autonomous driving technology to replace an existing transportation solution with self-driving fleet vehicles on public roads.
May Mobility will integrate Cepton LiDAR products in their self-driving vehicle fleets. A successful pilot was completed in 2017, with the May Mobility fleet transporting riders on public roads in downtown Detroit.
May Mobility has created a comprehensive autonomous vehicle technology stack that is accelerating the availability of fleet vehicles to corporate and public partners. Leveraging this technology stack, May Mobility brings communities closer together with fleets of self-driving vehicles that make short distance travel safe, personal and effortless. From business districts to educational campuses to residential areas, May provides a fully-managed, right-sized microtransit service that helps people engage more fully in the places where they live and work.
May chose to work with Cepton and support Cepton LiDAR solutions because of the combination of advanced technology, the rapid pace of innovation and the culture of customer success that has been evident in all the interactions between the two companies.
We left big auto so we could have more control of when our technology would hit the road, and a partner like Cepton, who has clearly communicated expectations and demonstrated outstanding follow-through, is essential in helping us get cars on the road first, said Edwin Olson, May Mobility CEO and Co-Founder. Cepton is driving the high performance LiDAR evolution to break the $1,000 price point; we are very excited about our collaboration and what it will mean for the future of the industry.
Rapid and Continuous Innovation
Since founding the company in 2016, Cepton has already launched and shipped three LiDAR solutions that are disrupting the market. Cepton LiDAR solutions deliver cost effective, high performance, high resolution products at scale today. The company designs solutions around proven automotive-grade, high-performance components, rather than trying to base core technology on immature, expensive parts, or manufacture components that are not ready for commercial deployment.
Cepton and May Mobility are biased toward action and share a common vision that autonomous vehicles can be developed and deployed with todays advanced technology, said Jun Pei, Co-Founder and CEO of Cepton. The May Mobility platform takes advantage of the latest high performance LiDAR sensors to power advanced fleet vehicle solutions today. Cepton and May each recognize that with the right teams, AV technology can be deployed and have an impact immediately, rather than wait for research and development concepts and expensive hard-to-produce components. This seamless vision and culture fit led our companies to enthusiastically pursue this partnership.
Business and technology leaders have already been anticipating collaborations between Silicon Valley and Detroit-based companies that are seeking competitive advantage in the rapidly emerging autonomous driving market.
We were excited to find a like-minded partner to accelerate the time-to-market for autonomous vehicles, added Jun. This market is growing rapidly and there are many opportunities to successfully partner with emerging players in the field.
See Cepton at CES
Cepton will be showing its LiDAR solutions during CES at booth #3000 in the North Hall of the LVCC. For those interested in a meeting or demonstration at the show, please contact: info@ceptontech.com
About Cepton
Cepton is a 3D LiDAR solutions provider that is shipping next generation LiDAR products for the automotive, industrial and mapping markets. Cepton LiDAR delivers unrivaled detection, range, resolution and reliability at low cost to enable perception for the fast growing market for smart machines. Led by LiDAR and advanced image industry veterans, Cepton has moved rapidly to establish itself as a technology leader, progressing from the founding of the company to delivering three advanced LiDAR solutions and more than 40 customers in under 18 months. For more information, visit http://www.cepton.com/.
About May Mobility
May Mobility brings communities closer together, with fleets of self-driving vehicles that make short distance travel safe, personal, and effortless. From business districts to educational campuses to residential areas, May provides a fully-managed, right-sized microtransit service that helps people engage more fully in the places where they live and work, while helping make the streets safer and supporting healthier local economies. Its pilot in downtown Detroit was the first successful self-driving vehicle to replace an existing transportation solution on city streets. Mays founders bring unparalleled expertise in academia, innovation and the auto industry, counting University of Michigans APRIL lab, MIT, the DARPA Urban Challenge, Ford, GM, GM Ventures, and Toyota among recent experience. Their goal is to realize a world where self-driving cars will reduce the need for individual car ownership, encourage better land use and foster more vibrant, livable communities. The company is backed by Maven Ventures, Tandem Ventures, and Truck Ventures. For more information, visit http://maymobility.com/.