Oxa, formerly known as Oxbotica, develops systems for self-driving cars
Google has invested in one of the UK's most promising self-driving car companies in a further bet on technology in which the internet giant has already invested billions.
The US company has acquired a 3.5% stake in Oxa, a spin-out from Oxford University that aims to create an “operating system” for fleets of self-driving cars.
Google was a previously undisclosed investor in the company's $140m (£114m) investment round announced earlier this year, company filings show.
Alphabet, owned by Google. The parent company is one of the world's largest proponents of self-driving cars, primarily through its Waymo business.
Waymo, which began as a Google project in 2009, offers fully autonomous rides to members of the public in Phoenix and San Francisco .
Oxa, formerly known as Oxbotica, develops self-driving car systems used in public places. transport and jobs, rather than equipping cars with sensors and offering robotaxi rides to the general public.
The deal could potentially lead to collaboration between the two companies if customers use Waymo's cars and Oxa's software. to run systems without drivers.
Google's parent company Alphabet is already one of the world's biggest supporters of self-driving cars through its Waymo business. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America
Google's cloud computing division announced an agreement with Oxa earlier this year to help the British company develop simulation and testing technologies. A Google spokesperson confirmed that the stake in Oxa was acquired through a separate financial investment.
Oxa was founded by Paul Newman and Ingmar Posner, two Oxford robotics professors who put the UK's first driverless car on the road in 2016 and launched the driverless shuttle project at Gatwick Airport.
The driverless taxis were planned to start in 2016. London in 2021 with Addison Lee, but the project was later cancelled. The company recently partnered with Beep, which provides shuttle services in the US.
It is run by Gavin Jackson, the former head of Amazon's UK cloud computing division.
Oxa's other investors include Ocado's venture capitalist BP, and Chinese internet giant Tencent.
Waymo has been testing its cars in Arizona for several years. The company, along with Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, recently received permission to offer 24-hour self-driving taxi services to the people of San Francisco.
Waymo bought British self-driving car testing startup Latent Logic in 2019 and a small team of employees in the UK.
Google previously invested in Nuro, a self-driving vehicle delivery company.
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