Delphi Automotive acquires Carnegie Mellon University spinout Ottomatika for self-driving car software.

Ottomatika, a 2013 spinout of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), has been acquired by Delphi Automotive for an unspecified sum.

Ottomatika has been commercialising self-driving car software originally developed at the university. To date, its software has been used to pilot an Audi across the US unassisted.

Founder Raj Rajkumar said he hoped that UK-based Delphi would keep Ottomatika’s 11 employees and its Pittsburgh base.

Farnam Jahanian, provost at CMU, said: “The Ottomatika deal exemplifies how CMU researchers and entrepreneurs are bringing technologies to market that benefit not only the university and the private sector, but society as a whole. CMU remains the destination for faculty and students who seek a culture of innovation, collaborative problem-solving and entrepreneurship.”