Mercedes-Benz has provided an update on the automated vehicle ride-hailing service that it has been developing with Bosch, revealing that it has entered the pilot phase.

Mercedes-Benz kicked off the week by announcing on Monday that the joint project that's been in the works with Bosch has launched as a pilot in Silicon Valley.

In San José, the app-based, ride-hailing service calls on autonomous vehicles - in this case, Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles - to shuttle drivers between West San José and downtown.

In the beginning stages of the pilot, a select group of users will be able to hail rides from this service. The vehicle will pick them up from a specified location and drop them off at their desired destination.

The two companies hope that this pilot trail will "provide valuable insights into the further development of their SAE Level 4/5 automated driving system," which are levels of autonomy that require no human intervention.

This taxi-like service has been in development by the companies since 2017 and appears to be progressing along the goals they set for themselves. The project aligns with San Jose's "smart city" vision which aims to use technology to make the city safer and more sustainable and improve the residents' quality of life.

The pilot service has been operating since fall of 2019.

 - AFP Relaxnews