Aptiv Opens Boston Tech Center

Aptiv plc, which was spun off from Delphi Automotive last week, has opened a technology center in Boston.

The new facility, Aptiv’s 14th global tech center, will focus on automated mobility-on-demand and data management development. The company operates similar centers in Pittsburgh and Mountain View, Calif.

Aptiv says it selected Boston’s Seaport district for the new site because of its proximity to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other local universities. The area also provides a large technology-proficient workforce and local government programs that support autonomous vehicles and new mobility services.

Aptiv recently acquired Cambridge, Mass.-based nuTonomy Inc., which is testing autonomous vehicles with Lyft Inc. in the Seaport district. The area’s congested streets and diverse weather conditions provide challenges for autonomous vehicles. Aptiv intends to compliment these tests with new pilot programs that help increase access to public transportation.

The new facility is expected to employ as many as 300 engineers and technical specialists, including a mix of former Delphi and nuTonomy workers. 

Following the spinoff, Delphi’s remaining powertrain operation was renamed Delphi Technologies plc. Aptiv and Delphi Technologies are both based in the U.K.