Electrify America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America, has announced that it will work Stable Auto, a San Francisco-based electric vehicle (EV) fleet charging company, to deploy robotic charging platforms for self-driving vehicles in a pilot demonstration site in San Francisco.

Together, the companies will deploy a pilot platform in San Francisco, which will seek to charge autonomous EVs without human intervention using a robotic platform attached to a 150-kilowatt DC fast charger.

Expected to open in early 2020, the charging location will be Stable’s first commercial autonomous charging site.

“We believe that reliable, high power electric vehicle charging infrastructure is essential for the accelerated adoption of EVs in the U.S., and recognize that foundational solutions like DC fast charging can be adapted for different charging needs,” says Wayne Killen, director, infrastructure planning and business development, Electrify America, LLC.

“Autonomous vehicles will play an important role in the future of driving, particularly with fleets, and tailored charging options for self-driving EVs will be critical to develop that effort. We’re excited to partner with Stable to be at the forefront of learning more and developing those charging solutions.”

Through the agreement, Electrify America will evaluate the hardware, network, operations and billing of its charging systems to best go with autonomous charging fleets. Electrify America has provided two 150-kilowatt DC fast chargers to Stable’s charging facility for “initial development work behind demonstrating the commercial viability of autonomous charging services for self-driving EVs.”

The overall project will be managed by Stable. Stable will also pair its robotic technology and advanced scheduling software located at its facility with Electrify America’s chargers.

The companies note that the fleet-charging facility will give self-driving EV fleets the ability to charge with no operators present, as vehicles will be able to park themselves anywhere inside a standard parking space, and Stable’s robot will automate the connection between the vehicle and the charger.

“We are proud to partner with Electrify America in this first step towards drastically accelerating the reach of electrification and autonomy,” says Rohan Puri, co-founder and CEO of Stable.

“Our models have shown dramatic improvements to fleet utilization and operating cost-per-mile when fleet vehicles are paired with automated infrastructure in strategically chosen locations. For the benefit of our cities and ultimately of our planet, we are excited to introduce this new charging paradigm alongside Electrify America.”