Perrone Robotics, a provider of fully autonomous vehicle (AV) technology and turnkey vehicle solutions for the mobility of people and things, has announced that Roush Industries has completed the first phase of a successful integration for the TONY AV, a fully autonomous, zero-emissions, electric shuttle program. The new prototype will be the model for a large-volume production process that will allow Perrone’s TONY AV-Retrofit kit to be easily integrated into existing vehicle models at scale. TONY is short for “TO Navigate You.”
This marks a significant milestone in the automotive industry and showcases the robust capabilities of Perrone’s TONY AV platform to convert any vehicle – shuttle, cargo, transit, into a full level of autonomy. According to Perrone, the value and benefit of its TONY AV platform is that the AV technology integration does not compromise any of the existing features that come off the manufacturer production line – i.e., FMVSS and ADA compliant certifications, zero-emissions, vehicle rider comfort, etc. With that flexibility, the entire AV integration process can be delivered in a reduced time frame – a crucial factor in bringing AV deployment costs down and facilitates larger-scale AV deployments across existing and new fleets. Customers will now be able to accelerate their path toward safe, reliable autonomous vehicle deployments with cost-effective options that leverage existing transit and transportation operations, the company says.
Last summer, Roush and Perrone signed an agreement to collaborate on a repeatable, best-in-class AV production process to scale Perrone’s TONY AV – Retrofit kit for new and existing customer fleet deployments. Perrone chose Roush as a partner due to Roush’s exemplary capabilities for rapid, reliable and repeatable outfitting across a wide range of vehicle types. With close to 50 years in automotive excellence, Roush brings expertise across production design, product development, and quality assurance. In less than six months, the Perrone/Roush teams are underway to provide a substantial AV pipeline for transit, transportation, and cargo applications. Phase II has already commenced, with the companies continuing to collaborate and identify efficiencies as the system integration matures from prototype to production readiness.
