Software company Oxbotica and Alphabet Inc’s Google Cloud announced a collaboration on Tuesday to accelerate the deployment of the British self-driving software startup’s autonomous software platform to customers worldwide.
According to the companies, Oxbotica will use Google Cloud infrastructure to develop “scalable, safe, and reliable” autonomous driving solutions for its customers in last-mile logistics, agriculture, light industry, and public transportation.
Oxbotica will use Google Cloud products to develop and test its self-driving technology, including creating digital twins to validate its platform, according to the companies.
Oxbotica will also rely on Google Cloud’s cyber-security expertise to ensure that self-driving technology is used safely.
Cloud infrastructure is regarded as critical for mass-producing autonomous vehicles.
Developing fully self-driving vehicles that can go anywhere has proven to be more difficult and expensive than anticipated, but investors are continuing to fund startups that aim for simpler self-driving vehicle solutions far removed from pedestrians and other vehicles driven by unpredictable humans.
Oxbotica announced in January that it had raised $140 million from investors to accelerate the deployment of autonomous vehicles in areas such as heavy industry, ports, and airports.