Audi partners with Israeli startup Cognata for autonomous vehicle simulations.

(Reuters)- German automaker Audi has partnered with Israeli autonomous vehicle simulation platform provider Cognata to accelerate the development of driverless car technology, the startup said Tuesday.

Cognata said its platform essentially recreates real-world cities, providing a range of test scenarios, including traffic models that simulate realistic conditions, before physical testing of autonomous vehicles.

Audi, through its Autonomous Intelligent Driving GmbH (AID) unit, is the first major automaker to sign a multi-year partnership with Cognata, which will help reduce the time it takes to bring its autonomous cars to market.

“At AID, we are convinced that simulation is a fundamental tool for increasing our development speed and is necessary for validating our product and proving that it is safe,” said AID's Chief Technology Officer, Alex Haag.

Cognata's chief executive, Danny Atsmon, also told Reuters that "simulation technology can help to significantly reduce the costs of autonomous vehicle testing for automakers."

Cognata, which competes with companies like the American firm Metamoto, raised a total of $5 million up to its last funding round in 2017.

Investors in the startup include Maniv Mobility – an automotive technology fund backed by Jaguar Land Rover, Valeo – Airbus' venture capital fund – and the Israeli venture capital firm Emerge.

Other technology companies and automakers have also bought startups or are creating their own development centers in Israel, such as Intel, Continental, Samsung, Daimler, Ford, and General Motors.