Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Norwegian transport operator Ruter has launched a self-driving ride-hailing service in Oslo’s Groruddalen district, using Nio’s ES8 fully electric SUVs as part of a pilot project in the country with the highest EV adoption.
The vehicles used in the program of the Norwegian startup are Nio’s first mass-produced model, the first-generation ES8, introduced in 2018. They are equipped with Nio’s former partner Mobileye which uses its sensors and autonomous software in each SUV.
In 2019, Nio announced a partnership with Mobileye to develop “highly automated and autonomous vehicles (AV) for consumer markets in China and other major territories.”
Last August, Mobileye showed a 14-minute clip of a Nio ES8 driving autonomously in Norway where the company claimed it handled “complex roads, intersections, and roundabouts, expertly making real-time decisions and maneuvers.” Here’s the video mentioned.
The on-demand service, which began operating on February 3, allows passengers to book autonomous rides through an app.
The vehicles will run on weekdays from 07:00 to 20:00 within a designated service area and a safety operator will remain present in each vehicle. Here’s the video shared by Ruter showing a demo ride.
The pilot is expected to run until 2026 or 2027 with Ruter providing free rides for the first few weeks of the program, the company said.
Ruter is collaborating with Holo, Mobileye, and Moovit on the initiative, which comes as self-driving technology gains traction in public transport projects across Europe.
In the German market, Nio said earlier this week it is offering free access to its Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) program for up to 60,000 km to buyers of its ET5 and ET7 models in Germany.
Customers who order one of the two sedans by June 30, will get two years of BaaS, which covers the monthly subscription fee of up to €289, the €10 swap service fee, and electricity costs of €0.39 per kWh.
Nio registered 31 vehicles in Germany in December, bringing its total deliveries in the country to 398 units in 2024 — a drop of 68% from 2023.
