The collaboration explores autonomous
functionality options for Lightning's medium-duty commercial
vehicle product line, enabling semi-autonomous charging and
enhancing operational safety and efficiency.
ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION,
Md., May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lightning
eMotors, Inc., a leading provider of zero-emission medium-duty
commercial electric vehicles and electric vehicle (EV) technology
for fleets, and STEER Tech, the leading OEM and aftermarket
autonomous vehicle (AV) software company, today announced a
collaboration to offer autonomous functionality to Lightning's
customers to enhance safety and efficiency.
STEER's AV technology can add safety
functionality currently unavailable in most medium-duty commercial
EVs.
The collaboration will facilitate the integration of STEER's
autonomous vehicle technology into Lightning's medium-duty
commercial electric vehicle product line. STEER's patented
autonomous vehicle technology can add safety functionality
currently unavailable in most medium-duty commercial EVs, such as
collision avoidance and autonomous vehicle movement, and could be
used in a variety of use cases including campus employee and
student transportation and distribution center cargo movement.
The system can also be used to automate parking in crowded lots
such as school bus yards and transit marshaling yards. Further, the
AV technology can be combined with charging stations to automate
the charging process, requiring minimal human
involvement.
"Lightning eMotors is excited about STEER's autonomous vehicle
solution, first and foremost for the additional safety
functionality it will allow us to offer to our customers," said
Tim Reeser, CEO and Co-founder of
Lightning eMotors. "With the demand for autonomous driving growing,
the ability to offer a school bus fleet the technology to reduce
pedestrian accidents is a win for everybody."
STEER Tech's technology is a full-service platform that provides
a wide array of turn-key, autonomous driving solutions in both
advanced driver assistance and driverless packages. It uses a
robust sensor suite coupled with high-precision GPS and
stereoscopic camera vision to safely navigate vehicles within
geofenced areas. STEER-enabled vehicles can be either remotely
controlled from a singular central command or launched on a
singular basis - providing maximum flexibility while increasing
operational efficiency and automating last-mile functions such as
semi-automatic charging, parking, and loading. The AV platform
includes a dashboard for vehicle analytics which includes
comprehensive vehicle health monitoring and automatic triggers. For
example, fleet operators can set customized battery thresholds
that, when hit, activate the specific vehicle to autonomously drive
to the charger to be recharged. Automated functions such as this
create an always-ready fleet.
"Autonomous vehicle technology is a game changer for safety and
sustainability, with depots and yards being the ultimate endpoint
to demonstrate maximum value," said Anuja Sonalker, STEER Tech CEO.
"Lightning eMotors offers best-in-class electric vehicle solutions
to commercial customers and we are excited to work with Lightning
eMotors to launch the next suite of autonomous electric vehicles
together."
STEER Media Contact
media@steer-tech.com
(240) 787-8000
About STEER Tech
STEER Tech is the leading automated
vehicle company engineering innovative solutions to mobility issues
faced by enterprises and consumers. STEER develops autonomous
technology for passenger and commercial vehicles that can be
applied to parking, low-speed driving, first and last-mile
delivery, vehicle maintenance, fleet operations, logistics, and
other custom use cases. With its growing network of autonomous
transfer hubs for fleet and delivery companies and mapped points of
interest for consumers, STEER continues to create an ecosystem of
users and infrastructures that benefit from space and time
efficiency, reduced costs, enhanced user experiences, and new
revenue. Visit STEER's website to see the technology in action and
explore the benefits of vehicle automation.
About Lightning eMotors
Lightning eMotors (NYSE: ZEV)
has been providing specialized and sustainable fleet solutions
since 2009, deploying complete zero-emission-vehicle solutions for
commercial fleets since 2018 – including cargo and passenger vans,
ambulances, shuttle buses, Type A school buses, work trucks, city
buses, and motor coaches. The Lightning eMotors team designs,
engineers, customizes and manufactures zero-emission vehicles to
support the wide array of fleet customer needs with a full suite of
control software, telematics, analytics, and charging solutions to
simplify the buying and ownership experience and maximize uptime
and energy efficiency. To learn more, visit our website at
https://lightningemotors.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical
information herein, matters set forth in this press release are
forward-looking within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including
statements about the commercial and technology progress and future
financial performance of Lightning eMotors, Inc. These
forward-looking statements are identified by the use of words such
as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate,"
"expect," "expand," "enable," "might," "potential," "should,"
"would" among others. Forward-looking statements in this press
release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties inherent in
Lightning eMotor's business that could cause actual results or
outcomes to vary, including, but not limited to, risks related to
Lightning eMotors' operations and business and financial
performance; the ability of Lightning eMotors to execute on its
business strategy and grow demand for its products and revenue;
potential increases in costs or shortage of raw materials; market
acceptance of new product offerings; and other risks more fully
described in Lightning eMotors' filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission from time to time. You should not put undue
reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance
or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the
times at, or by, which such performance or results will be
achieved, if at all. Lightning eMotors undertakes no obligation to
update any forward-looking statements, except as required by
law.
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SOURCE STEER Tech