Self-driving shuttle startup May Mobility partners with auto supplier Magna

6/14/2018

Magna, one of the largest tier-one automotive industry suppliers in the world, has teamed up with Michigan-based startup May Mobility for the building and deployment of self-driving shuttles. The plan is to scale May Mobility’s self-driving shuttle fleet across the U.S. The initial fleet will debut for passengers on June 26 in Detroit, Mich.

What Magna brings to the table is the retrofitting of micro transit electric cars. So, while May Mobility is responsible for the design of self-driving shuttles, Magna will be responsible for the assembly. That assembly will entail a complete rebuild with custom doors, a panoramic moonroof, sensor integration and conversion to an autonomous-ready state. On top of that, May Mobility will add its autonomous-driving technology stack.

“Magna shares our high technical standards and excitement about servicing the growing demand for self-driving vehicles to meet today’s transportation needs, while also laying the path for the future,” May Mobility founder and CTO Steve Vozar said in a statement. “This deal demonstrates our commitment to scale and accelerate operations with a partner who understands quality and reliability in the build process, and who can match the exacting process that makes us a trusted community partner.”

Earlier this year, May Mobility raised $11.5 million in seed funding from BMW iVentures, Toyota AI and others. Next year, May Mobility plans to offer on-demand services for customers. In March, Magna partnered with Lyft to build a self-driving car platform. Magna also invested $200 million in Lyft in exchange for an equity stake.