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BMW and Daimler to co-develop driverless technologies

With plans to mass-launch an automated driving platform from 2024.
Written by Campbell Kwan, Contributor

Car manufacturers BMW and Daimler AG have partnered up to develop self-driving technologies up to level 4, which are technologies that allow for self-driving without human intervention under certain conditions.

The two companies will develop technologies for driver assistance systems, highly automated driving on highways, and automated parking, with the aim of creating a "scalable platform for automated driving" that can be mass-launched from 2024.

Once created, BMW and Daimler AG have plans to make the scalable platform available to other automotive manufacturers under licence.

Development of self-driving technologies will see over 1,200 specialists working together. It will be based at the BMW Group's Autonomous Driving Campus near Munich, the Mercedes-Benz Technology Centre in Sindelfingen, and the Daimler Testing and Technology Centre in Immendingen.

See also: How autonomous vehicles could co-exist with traditional cars in the near future

In addition to the agreement to co-develop self-driving technologies, the companies also announced that they are in talks to extend the partnership to work involving automation in urban areas and city centres.

The cooperative arrangement between BMW and Daimler is a non-exclusive one, with the companies saying they are open to other automotive manufacturers and technology companies joining the partnership.

The partnership follows Waymo, Nissan, and Renault last month entering into a partnership to research how self-driving vehicles may be used commercially for passengers and deliveries in France and Japan.

In May, GM's driverless car company Cruise raised $1.15 billion from a group comprised of SoftBank, Honda, General Motors, and T. Rowe Price Associates. Prior to that, Honda paid $2.75 billion for a 5.7% stake in Cruise. 

Mercedes Benz, a brand under Daimler, partnered up with Nvidia in February for it to build out artificial intelligence architecture for its cars.   

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