Join us as we sit down with Eran Ofir, CEO of Imagry, to explore the future of transportation powered by cutting-edge, mapless AI technology. Discover how Eran and his team are transforming autonomous vehicles with generative autonomy, driving real-world change in fleets worldwide, overcoming regulatory hurdles, lowering costs, and paving the way for safer, smarter roads. Get ready for an eye-opening journey into the next era of mobility with insights from a true industry leader!

Summary

Eran Ofir, CEO of Imagry, discussed the company's generative autonomy technology for autonomous vehicles. Imagry's software, Cortex, uses AI for perception, motion planning, and control, avoiding HD maps and relying solely on cameras. The company has been operating autonomous vehicles since 2019 in various countries and recently expanded into autonomous buses, addressing a 20% global shortage of bus drivers. Imagry's technology enables driverless buses at a cost of $70,000 per vehicle, a third of the industry average. The company also plans to deploy 50 Robo shuttles in Riga, Latvia. Regulatory challenges and public acceptance are significant hurdles for widespread adoption.

Key Quotes:

• “We do generative autonomy, which means we do autonomous driving for physical AI—making machines move on the road as humans do.”
• “Our technology is built to act like a human: seeing, understanding, and acting—all powered by AI, with no dependence on HD maps or LiDAR.”
• “Regulation is currently the main factor that is facing the industry; every country has its own framework, and the process is long and rigorous.”
• “Our system responds to events happening on the road in under 100 milliseconds—at least three times faster than even the best human drivers.”
• “It will take a decade until we'll see mass volumes of everyday vehicles with full autonomous capabilities, but we're paving the way today.”

Takeaways:

• Imagry's AI-driven, mapless approach is redefining how autonomous vehicles perceive and navigate real-world environments.
• Generative autonomy allows vehicles to continuously learn and adapt without relying on HD maps or sensor fusion.
• Regulatory and safety standards remain significant challenges for autonomous vehicle deployment across different countries.
• Imagry has become a leader in autonomous bus technology, addressing global driver shortages and expanding into new markets.
• Widespread adoption of fully autonomous vehicles is expected to take at least a decade, with public acceptance and regulation as key factors.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Introduction & Guest Background
• 0:47 Imagry’s Mission & Generative Autonomy Explained
• 2:45 Why Traditional Autonomous Driving Fell Short
• 5:31 AI Inspiration and Human-Like Decision-Making
• 7:35 Advances in Edge Computing Unlocking Progress
• 8:53 Imagry’s Vision-Only, Mapless Approach
• 12:26 Global Deployment & The Autonomous Bus Revolution
• 15:00 Cost, Fleet Integration, and Robo Shuttle Rollout
• 18:18 Regulation & Rigorous Safety Testing
• 22:29 Public Acceptance and Proving Superior Safety
• 25:00 The Decade Ahead for Autonomous Vehicles
• 28:09 Closing Thoughts & Future of Mobility

Links/Resource

Website: https://imagry.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eranofir

Podcast: Full Tech Ahead — Hosted by Amanda Razani

Find Amanda Razani on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-razani-990a7233/