Mercedes-Benz, Bosch to Launch Self-Driving Service in Silicon Valley

July 11, 2018—Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler and its components maker Bosch are launching a new self-driving experiment in Silicon Valley, USA Today reports.

Daimler and auto components maker Bosch will start a self-driving vehicle shuttle service in one of the cities south of San Francisco that comprises the heart of the nation's tech industry beginning in the second half of 2019.  

The move marks a concrete step forward for a partnership announced in April 2017 with the ultimate goal of delivering a self-driving car by 2021.

Daimler and Bosch will begin their service as a pilot project offering rides for free on "selected routes" to a limited number of customers, said Uwe Keller, head of autonomous driving for Daimler.

The service would join several other vehicle pilot projects open to the public around the U.S., like Waymo, which recently added 62,000 FCA Minivans to its self driving fleet.