CLARKSBURG, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Robotic Research LLC, a leading provider of autonomy and robotic technologies to commercial and federal customers, announced today it has received permission from the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration to operate Olli, an autonomous electric shuttle that is driven by Robotic Research’s AutoDrive® technology, between its two office locations in Clarksburg, Maryland.

The Maryland Department of Transportation, after extensive review of the technology with Montgomery County government, law enforcement, fire/EMS, and public transportation, granted Robotic Research a Highly-Automated Vehicle (HAV) permit for the Olli shuttle. The HAV permit will allow Robotic Research to continue its research and testing of autonomous vehicle capabilities and technology directly on a half-mile stretch of public roadway in Montgomery County. This will be the first deployment of Olli in Montgomery County and the second in the state of Maryland. Local Motors, the manufacturer of Olli, is provided demonstration testing at National Harbor.

“We are extremely pleased to have such great support from the state of Maryland and Montgomery County to help advance our research in autonomous vehicle development,” said Alberto Lacaze, president of Robotic Research. “This is a great step forward for innovation in the state of Maryland, and is a great example of the kind of leadership in technology the state is committed to supporting in the private sector.”

Robotic Research provides its AutoDrive autonomy software and hardware to Olli’s manufacturer, Local Motors, to enable the shuttle to operate safely without a driver. For safety redundancies, however, the Montgomery County deployment will have a safety operator on board at all times, available for immediate takeover of vehicle control if necessary.

AutoDrive works on a variety of vehicles, from shuttles like Olli to trucks and buses, allowing them to operate autonomously in common and complex transportation environments, including pedestrian walkways, downtown areas, roadways, intersections, corporate campuses, traffic lights and much more. All of these functions occur while the vehicle is collecting and analyzing data to better enhance the future of autonomous vehicles and local transportation. AutoDrive supports various autonomy programs in commercial and government sectors and is currently operating in communities and cities around the globe.

Learn more about Robotic Research by visiting https://www.roboticresearch.com/

About Robotic Research

Robotic Research, LLC, is a leading provider of autonomy and robotic technology driving the transformation of commercial and government autonomous operations through innovative and intelligent systems. Whether providing autonomous vehicles to the military to keep the warfighter safe; delivering unmanned, transformable robots to extend the reach of Special Forces units; or making commercial transportation safer and more efficient, Robotic Research is leading this dynamic revolution in technology. To learn more about Robotic Research, visit www.roboticresearch.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Contacts

Kristina Messner, Focused Image for Robotic Research
703-678-6023
kmessner@focusedimage.com

Janet Hughes, Robotic Research
240-631-0008
jhughes@roboticresearch.com