Visteon integrates remote driver with Portland startup

Designated Driver is one of a handful of startups developing a remote driver.

Founded in 2018, the company has participated in AutonomouStuff’s open autonomy pilot program and integrated its technology into research vehicles. In a project last summer, Designated Driver conducted remote trans-Atlantic operations, controlling a car in England operating on a closed course from its Portland, Ore., headquarters.

A partnership with an established supplier will help Designated Driver differentiate itself from competitors, said CEO Manuela Papadopol.

“For us, the focus is on safety,” she said. “That’s very difficult, and developing that safety net with a partner who knows ASIL-D, the highest standard in automotive, is something that’s going to help us bring it to production.”

While much of the focus is on providing teleoperations for autonomous vehicles that operate on public roads, Designated Driver says that’s only one potential market for the technology. Others include traditional, non-autonomous vehicles, agricultural vehicles and warehouse robots.

“In a lot of those cases, even sidewalk robots, where the autonomy systems are simpler, when it fails you just need somebody to take over the vehicle and move it to wherever you want it to stop to be recovered,” said Walter Sullivan, chief technology officer at Designated Driver. “For anyone that’s pursuing automation in a serious way, they’ve already accepted that teleoperations is required to get better automation.”