Stellantis, Wayve Announce 2028 North American Launch for AI Driver-Assist Tech
Strategic Partnership and Future Plans
Overview of the Stellantis and Wayve Collaboration
May 21 (Reuters) - Stellantis and British autonomous driving startup Wayve said on Thursday they had formed a strategic partnership to bring Wayve's artificial intelligence driving software into the carmaker's STLA AutoDrive platform for future hands-free assisted driving.
The companies said in a joint statement on the sidelines of Stellantis' Investor Day that the first vehicle integration was targeted for North America in 2028.
Details of the AI Driver-Assist System
The system would aim for supervised "Level 2++" driving, meaning the car can handle more driving tasks but the driver must still watch the road and remain ready to take control, on highways and in cities.
Key Features and Industry Context
- Level 2++ requires hands-free supervised driving, a step below fully autonomous operation, requiring the driver to remain available to take control
- Franco-Italian-American carmaker's strategy is to deliver advanced driver‑assistance systems to customers
- Wayve’s end-to-end AI approach is designed to generalize across geographies and vehicle types, supporting deployment across multiple markets over time
- London-based startup set to integrate its AI Driver into a Stellantis vehicle prototype "in less than two months," CEO of Wayve Alex Kendall said
- Wayve, founded in 2017, develops AI driving software for automakers and fleet operators without relying on high-definition maps
- British startup is implementing assisted driving system with Nissan targeting a launch in Japan by 2027
- Wayve, backed by SoftBank and Nvidia, is also developing robotaxis with Nissan and Uber, targeting a Tokyo pilot by late 2026
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Romolo Tosiani in Gdansk, Giulio Piovaccari in Milan; Editing by Matt Scuffham)
