- Lotus has developed a self-driving system via its Lotus Robotics division
- The self-driving system, known as Robo Soul, is already in use in robotaxis operating in China
- Lotus is currently working with Saudi Arabia’s Aramco on robotaxis
The current tagline of Lotus may be “For the Drivers,” but the company is also working on technology that could make human drivers obsolete.
On Monday, Lotus, via its Lotus Robotics arm, announced the launch of a self-driving system that will initially be used by robotaxis in a ride-hailing service operated by Cao Cao, a mobility company that, like Lotus, is financially backed by Geely Holding.
Lotus and Cao Cao have been testing robotaxi prototypes in the Chinese cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou for the past year. According to Lotus, the prototypes have covered almost 8,500 miles without human intervention. The vehicles used in testing are based on Lotus’ Eletre electric SUV and Emeya electric sedan.
The self-driving system, dubbed Robo Soul, ranks at Level 4 on the SAE scale of self-driving capability. This means the system can operate a vehicle autonomously for extended periods but within certain conditions—typically within a geofenced area.
Lotus Emeya
Lotus said its system can handle multi-lane driving, seamless transitions between highways and urban roads, U-turns at intersections, intelligent lane selection, and obstacle avoidance, among other functions.
Lotus also provides two additional services related to self-driving technology. The first is Robo Galaxy, a suite of cloud-based tools designed for businesses operating fleets of autonomous vehicles. These tools help manage and analyze data from the vehicles to improve fleet efficiency. The second is Robo Matrix, a real-time monitoring and remote assistance system that includes remote driving capabilities. It uses artificial intelligence to learn from corrections and provide continuous monitoring and guidance to self-driving vehicles.
While Lotus is currently offering its self-driving system exclusively in China, the company plans to expand to other markets. One of the first additional markets could be the Middle East, as Lotus is working with Saudi Arabia’s Aramco to implement robotaxis.
