Drive.ai

Drive.ai was established in 2015 through Stanford University's Artificial Intelligence Lab by a group of masters and PhD students from Andrew Ng's research lab.{{cite web| url= https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/30/drive-ai-uses-deep-learning-to-teach-self-driving-cars-and-to-give-them-a-voice/| title=Drive.ai uses deep learning to teach self-driving cars – and to give them a voice| author=Darrell Etherington| date=August 30, 2016| publisher=Tech Crunch}} The group initially worked to develop a retrofit kit to add their autonomous driving system to existing cars.{{cite web| url= https://www.zdnet.com/article/this-bolt-on-retrofit-kit-turns-certain-cars-into-self-driving-vehicles/| title=This bolt-on retrofit kit turns certain cars into self-driving vehicles| author=Greg Nichols| date=July 5, 2017| publisher=ZDNet}} In August 2016, the company emerged from stealth mode with $12 million in funding and became the 13th company in California to get a license to test autonomous vehicles on public roads.{{cite web| url= https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/30/12700290/drive-ai-autonomous-car-human-robot-interface| title=Drive.ai wants to help autonomous cars talk with the people around them| author=Jordan Golson| date=August 30, 2016| publisher=The Verge}}{{cite web| url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/08/30/garage-startup-uses-deep-learning-teach-cars-drive/89424514/| title=Garage startup uses deep learning to teach cars to drive| author=Marco della Cava| date=August 30, 2016| publisher=USA Today}}{{cite web| url= https://www.recode.net/2016/9/6/12772862/self-driving-car-robot-communication| title=This self-driving startup wants to change the way robot cars make decisions and communicate| author=Johana Bhuiyan|publisher=Recode}} The company's early funding included investments by Northern Light Venture Capital, Oriza Ventures and InnoSpring Seed Fund.{{cite web| url= http://www.businessinsider.com/driveai-using-deep-learning-for-its-autonomous-cars-2016-8| title=A start-up born out of Stanford just entered the driverless car race with a radical approach| author=Danielle Muoio| date=August 30, 2016| publisher=Business Insider}}{{cite web| url= https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2017/02/14/drive-ai-mountain-view-self-driving-cars-video.html| title=Look, Mountain View, no hands! Startup tests self-driving on a rainy night| author=Cromwell Schubarth| date=February 14, 2017| publisher=Silicon Valley Business Journal}}

In June 2017, Drive.ai raised a $50 million Series B funding round led by New Enterprise Associates with participation from GGV Capital, Northern Light Venture Capital and other previous investors.{{cite web| url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2017/09/07/lyft-partners-drive-ai-provide-self-driving-rides/639426001/| title=Lyft partners with Drive.ai to provide self-driving rides| author=Marco della Cava| date=September 7, 2017| publisher=USA Today}}{{cite web| url= https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/27/drive-ai-raises-50m-for-retrofit-kits-to-bring-self-driving-to-existing-fleets/| title=Drive.ai raises $50M for retrofit kits to bring self-driving to existing fleets| author=Darrell Etherington| date=June 27, 2017| publisher=Tech Crunch}}{{Cite web| url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-driveai-autonomous/drive-ai-raises-50-million-in-funding-andrew-ng-joins-board-idUSKBN19I2ZD| title=Drive.ai raises $50 million in funding; Andrew Ng joins board| date=June 27, 2017| publisher=Reuters}} As part of the funding announcement, the company also announced that scientist Andrew Ng had joined its board of directors.{{cite web| url= https://money.cnn.com/2017/06/27/technology/startups/driveai-andrew-ng/index.html| title=The hottest self-driving car startup you've never heard of| author=Matt McFarland| date=June 27, 2017| publisher=CNN}}{{cite web| url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2017/06/27/robot-car-tech-startup-drive-ai-raises-50-million-adds-stanfords-ng-to-board/#2d0dc1be20dd| title=Robot Car Tech Startup Drive.ai Raises $50 Million, Adds Stanford's NG To Board| author=Alan Ohnsman| date=June 27, 2017| work=Forbes}} In the same month, Lyft announced a partnership with Drive.ai to run a pilot program in San Francisco operating Drive.ai's test fleet through Lyft's platform.{{cite web| url= https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/07/lyft-and-drive-ai-partner-on-bay-area-self-driving-ride-hailing-pilot/| title=Lyft and Drive.ai partner on Bay Area self-driving ride-hailing pilot| author=Darrell Etherington| date=September 7, 2017| publisher=Tech Crunch}}{{cite web| url= https://mashable.com/2017/09/28/driveai-lyft-deal/#2MKEUNuSQmq6| title= Drive.ai is the hot new company on the self-driving car scene| author=Jason Abbruzzese| date=September 28, 2017| publisher=Mashable}}

Drive.ai raised an additional $15 million in September 2017 including participation from Grab, a ride-hailing technology company in Southeast Asia.{{cite web| url= https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/28/self-griving-startup-drive-ai-to-open-singapore-office-with-new-grab-funding/| title=Self-driving startup Drive.ai to open Singapore office with new Grab funding| author=Darrell Etherington| date=September 28, 2017| publisher=Tech Crunch}}

In May 2018, it was announced that Drive.ai was working with the Frisco Transportation Management Association and would be releasing an on-demand self-driving passenger carrying car service in Frisco, Texas during the course of an initial 6-month pilot program.{{cite web| url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/05/16/watch-drive-ai-demo-its-self-driving-car-service/| title=Watch Drive.ai demo its self-driving car service| author=Kyle Wiggers| date=May 16, 2018| publisher=Venture Beat}} It was the first public deployment of self-driving cars in Texas.{{cite web| url=https://mic.com/articles/189425/driveai-offers-a-simple-answer-to-safer-driverless-cars#.PTN7dCcLE| title=Mic| author=Xavier Harding| date=May 17, 2018| publisher=Mic}} The pilot program will initially use safety drivers to monitor the car's operation, but will eventually move to driverless operation with remote monitoring. A Drive.ai app will be used by riders to call rides.{{cite web| url=https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/drive-ai-demonstrates-a-truly-driverless-taxi-in-texas/| title=Drive.at demonstrates a truly driverless taxi in Texas| author=Antuan Goodwin| date=May 16, 2018| publisher=CNet}}{{Cite web| url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/16/watch-a-truly-driverless-car-navigate-city-streets/| title=Watch a truly driverless car navigate city streets| author=Megan Rose Dickey| date=May 16, 2018| publisher=Tech Crunch}} Initially, the program will operate as a shared service within a fixed area including retail, entertainment and office spaces using designated pickup and drop-off locations.{{cite web| url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/05/self-driving-technology-is-going-to-change-a-lot-more-than-cars/| title=Self-driving technology is going to change a lot more than cars| author=Timothy B. Lee| date=May 29, 2018| publisher=Ars Technica}}{{cite web| url=http://www.timescolonist.com/driving/green-car-briefs-some-audis-can-now-talk-with-stoplights-1.23329272| title=Green car briefs: Some Audis can now talk with stoplights| date=June 8, 2018| publisher=Times Colonist}} During the trial period, Drive.ai offered public education about its self-driving technology.{{cite web| url= https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/7/17321610/drive-ai-autonomous-ride-share-texas| title=Drive.at will launch an autonomous ride-hailing service in Texas| author=Zac Estrada| date=May 7, 2018| publisher=The Verge}}

In October 2018, Drive.ai announced that it would launch a similar self-driving passenger carrying car service in Arlington, Texas and became the first company with revenue in the self-driving car space. The service would include three vehicles running on several routes across different parts of the city, including the AT&T Stadium.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/driveai-self-driving-cars-arlington-texas-cowboys-dallas/|title=Drive.ai Brings Its Self-Driving Cars to Dallas Cowboy Fans|last=Davies|first=Alex|date=2018-10-19|magazine=Wired|access-date=2018-12-30|issn=1059-1028}}

The company has a fleet of Lincoln MKZs, an Audi A4 and Nissan NV200s for its testing in California.{{cite web| url= https://qz.com/1271375/driverless-car-startup-drive-ai-is-launching-a-ride-hailing-service-in-dallas-texas/| title=Driverless car startup Drive.ai is launching a ride-hailing service in Texas| author=Alison Griswold| date=May 7, 2018| publisher=Quartz}}

In February 2017, Drive.ai released the first video footage of its technology, featuring one of its self-driving Lincoln MKZ cars navigating the streets of Mountain View, CA in the rain after dark. This marked an early recording of a self-driving vehicle operating on a fully autonomous ride at night, or in inclement weather.{{Citation|title=drive.ai Rainy Night Autonomous Drive|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMvgtPN2IBU|language=en|access-date=2019-11-20}}

In May 2018, Drive.ai released a video featuring an orange Nissan NV200 driverless vehicle navigating Frisco streets. The video featured private streets as well as busy intersections and a traffic circle. It also featured a display showing the car's sensors and cameras dealing with objects on the road and highlighted operation through low-angle sunlight that would obscure typical sensors.{{cite web| url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/self-driving-taxi-demonstration-before-texas-launch/| title=See what it's like to take a ride in Drive.ai's self-driving taxi| author=Trevor Mogg| date=May 16, 2018| publisher=Digital Trends}} The car's object recognition systems identify and route around other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists safely.{{cite web| url=https://www.iottechnews.com/news/2018/may/17/driveai-demonstrates-self-driving-cars/| title=Drive.ai demonstrates its self-driving cars| author=Ryan Daws| date=May 17, 2018| publisher=IoT News}} Drive.ai's cars include screens on the outside of the car, one on the hood, one on the back, and one on each side, to communicate with pedestrians.{{cite web| url=https://techxplore.com/news/2018-05-self-driving-vehicle-frisco-texas-july.html| title=Self-driving vehicle service in Frisco, Texas, to start in July| author=Nancy Owano| date=May 19, 2018| publisher=TechXplore}} The screens feature prompts such as "Passengers Entering/Exiting' or "Waiting for You to Cross."{{cite web| url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-07/drive-ai-will-offer-uber-like-service-with-autonomous-vans-this-summer| title=Drive.ai Will Offer Uber-Like Service With Autonomous Vans This Summer| author=Ellen Huet| date=May 7, 2018| publisher=Bloomberg}}

Drive.ai collects data along the routes it will be using to create three-dimensional high-definition maps to support the self-driving technology.{{cite web| url=https://www.popsci.com/self-driving-cars-rural-roads#page-3| title=This self-driving car relies on spinning lasers to navigate down rural roads| author=Rob Verger| date=May 15, 2018| publisher=Popular Science}}{{cite web| url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/07/drive-ai-is-launching-an-autonomous-ride-hailing-network-in-texas/| title=Drive.ai is launching an autonomous ride-hailing network in Texas| author=Megan Rose Dickey| date=May 7, 2018| publisher=Tech Crunch}}

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Category:Technology companies established in 2015

Category:American companies established in 2015

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Category:Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area

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