May Mobility and Via formalize plans to transform public transit with AVs

The partnership brings equitable transit to urban, suburban and rural cities worldwide through the deployment of thousands of autonomous vehicles

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- May Mobility, a leader in the development and deployment of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, and Via, the global leader in TransitTech, are taking the next step to expand the public deployment of AVs across the U.S. and beyond. Under a new agreement, the companies formally plan to deploy thousands more AVs globally for public transit in the next three years.

"May Mobility and Via share a deep belief in technology's ability to provide equitable transit solutions," said Manik Dhar, chief commercial officer for May Mobility. "Our partnership means that we can leverage each other's strengths to address a larger customer base globally. The communities we serve benefit from our combined depth of autonomy technology experience and fleet deployment solutions."

May Mobility and Via have partnered since 2021 and currently offer on-demand, dynamically routed, and shared AV services in three cities. Over the next three years, May Mobility and Via will continue these strides, working together to incorporate thousands more AVs into the public transit systems of cities around the globe. Powered by Via's AI-based booking and intelligent routing algorithms, on-demand rides are available to anyone through a Via-powered app, which matches riders headed in the same direction into one vehicle to create efficient, flexible shared trips.

The combination of Via's intelligent routing and booking software with May Mobility's AV technology efficiently and reliably transports riders to and from popular hubs such as corporate, hospital and university campuses or stores, restaurants and churches. This expanded agreement will enable faster, more streamlined launch operations for future sites worldwide.

"May Mobility and Via share a belief that autonomous vehicles are most impactful when they are accessible and shared and complement existing public transit infrastructure," said Dillon Twombly, Chief Revenue Officer at Via. "We support all riders and respect the diversity of their needs. The next stage of our partnership with May Mobility will enable us to continue to introduce AVs as an equitable, efficient and sustainable transportation solution for communities around the globe."

May Mobility and Via operate in a mix of urban, suburban and rural cities each with unique needs. Together, the companies design customized AV services that consider the ridership requirements of each of the communities they serve. May Mobility's focus on improving accessibility means that all fleets include wheelchair-accessible vehicles, equipped with an ADA-compliant ramping system. Wheelchair users can permanently toggle their status on the app to ensure pickup by one of May Mobility's wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

To date, May Mobility and Via have together served around 50,000 AV rides.

As part of the expanded agreement, May Mobility will have access to Via's Remix software, the first transit planning software for on-demand and other flexible mobility services. With Remix, May Mobility will further optimize its AV routes and advance sustainability and equity goals by using proprietary data from over 200 Via deployments and 100 million shared Via rides.

About May Mobility

May Mobility, established in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2017, is building the world's best autonomy system. Their proprietary Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) system is at the core of their mission to help make cities safer, greener, and more accessible. MPDM's proven track record has delivered more than 320,000 autonomy-enabled rides to date in several public transit applications across the U.S. and Japan. With key strategic partnerships including some of the world's most innovative automotive and transportation companies, such as Toyota Motor Corporation, May Mobility aims to achieve the highest standard in rider safety, sustainability, and transportation equity. For more information, visit www.maymobility.com.

About Via

Founded in 2012, Via pioneered the TransitTech category by using new technologies to develop public mobility systems — optimizing networks of buses, shuttles, wheelchair accessible vehicles, school buses, autonomous vehicles, and electric vehicles around the globe. Building the world's most efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation network for all riders — including those with limited mobility, those without smartphones, and unbanked populations — Via works with its partners to lower the costs of public transit while providing transportation options that rival the convenience of a personal car while reducing the environmental impact. At the intersection of transportation and technology, Via is a visionary market leader that combines software innovation with sophisticated service design and operational expertise to fundamentally improve the way the world moves, providing technology in 600 communities and more than 35 countries and counting.

SOURCE May Mobility