Local Motors Launches Self-Driving Cars at University

Greg Hyde

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13th August 2018

A fleet of 3D-printed autonomous vehicles has been launched as a mobility test experiment for a US university.

LM Industries’ Local Motors (LM) subsidiary has sent a fleet of its Olli 3D-printed, self-driving vehicles to the University at Buffalo.

The project is being co-managed by New York state’s Energy Research and Development Authority and Department of Transportation and aims to help fulfill Governor Andrew Cuomo’s goal of reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The university says it wants to use the vehicles “to conduct comprehensive testing of autonomous and connected vehicles” but doesn’t plan to use them to transport students for the time being. LM executive vice-president Matthew Rivett said the move would help the university and the state government “implement and customize Olli for their mobility testing and sustainability strategies”.

LM claims Olli will “autonomously drive passengers to their desired destination, providing a safe, efficient, customizable and environmentally-friendly transportation option”. It adds that Olli is “the world’s first co-created self-driving electric vehicle”. The cars have previously been introduced in National Harbor, Maryland and Berlin.