Audi Partners With Israeli Autonomous Driving Simulation Company Cognata

Autonomous Intelligent Driving GmbH (AID), a Munich-based subsidiary of German automaker Audi AG, has partnered with Israel-based autonomous driving simulation company Cognata Ltd., the companies announced Tuesday. The exact terms of the deal were not disclosed, but as part of the collaboration, AID will use Cognata’s technology to test its autonomous vehicles.

Founded in 2016 and based in Rehovot, a town in central Israel, Cognata develops an artificial intelligence-based system capable of simulating various situations a self-driving car may encounter within a specific city. The system is meant to reduce the time and resources required for testing the vehicles in real-life situations. In 2017, Cognata raised $5 million in a Seed round led by Maniv Mobility, a Tel Aviv-based venture capital fund focused on automotive and mobility technologies. Tel Aviv-based venture fund E.Merge Group is also an investor.