Olli Comes to Life at ACM
How Olli Came to Life at the American Center for Mobility
The next generation of autonomous vehicles isn't about the technology. It's about the people riding in it.
A Design Philosophy Born in 2016
When the original Olli was first conceived, its design process did something most startups struggle to pull off: it actually listened to customers. Through a collaborative, crowd-sourced approach, the team didn't just build a vehicle, they built excitement. That original concept became the archetype for many of the AV shuttle platforms that followed.
The priority was never the technology. It was the customer. And that philosophy hasn't changed.
The Problem With Autonomy Today
Autonomous vehicle technology has advanced impressively but it hasn't won people over. Boxes and sensors awkwardly mounted to the roofs and sides of traditional vehicles. Tech that feels like it's being thrust onto the public in cities like LA and Austin rather than seamlessly woven into daily life.
The promise of autonomous vehicles — convenience, luxury, a next-level experience — hasn't been delivered yet. We believe that's because the industry has been leading with the tech instead of the customer.
What We Set Out to Prove at ACM
This summer, Retrospect and Additive Mobility brought the next-gen Olli to the American Center for Mobility to demonstrate a different way forward right here in Motor City.
We showcased two foundational capabilities:
1. Safety, Security & Transparency Retrospect demonstrated safety monitoring of AV trajectory software using an open-source ADS stack, highlighting the most critical on-edge Safety Performance Indicators for a provably safe Safety Management System and Safety Case — metrics that can be universal to any autonomous driving system.
2. A Platform Built to Last We showed how the right OS selection can build safety and cybersecurity directly into the foundation of an AV platform, handling sensitive data access, live OTA updates, and online app upgrades while the system remains fully operational. Additive Mobility's platform, on which multiple Autonomous Driving Systems can be deployed, is built for mission-critical operations: from defense platforms and baggage handling to dense urban connectors and mobile retail.
Our belief is simple: you can't make the tech disappear until you get the foundation right.
Thank You to the ACM Community
A huge thank you to the American Center for Mobility — especially Kevin Kelly, Jeff Naber, and Reuben Sarkar — and to all the exhibitors and attendees who made it such a dynamic event, including Jim Lau at VBOX Automotive and Sean P. Plunkett at New Eagle.
What's Next
This is just the beginning. We have the right partners, the right platform, and a vision for autonomous vehicles that puts the rider first.
Want to see the Olli in person this summer? Reach out to learn more about upcoming events.
Stay tuned for more announcements coming soon.