The AAA free self-driving shuttle seen in downtown Las Vagas.
photo: PRN
The AAA free self-driving shuttle, operated by Keolis, is the largest self-driving pilot project in the United States to operate in live traffic; AAA will study consumer responses to advance technology that could dramatically reduce traffic fatalities
photo: PRN
The AAA free self-driving shuttle, operated by Keolis, is the largest self-driving pilot project in the United States to operate in live traffic; AAA will study consumer responses to advance technology that could dramatically reduce traffic fatalities
(PRNEWS) LAS VEGAS, Nov.
8, 2017 - AAA, in partnership with Keolis, just brought the future of
transportation to America
and now the century-old auto club wants to hear from you.
AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah (AAA) is
sponsoring the nation's first self-driving shuttle pilot project geared
specifically for the public. Over the course of a year, the self-driving
shuttle aims to provide a quarter-million residents and visitors of Las Vegas with first-hand
experience using autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, exposing most riders to
the technology for the first time. This pilot builds on Keolis' limited shuttle
launch in downtown Las Vegas
in early 2017; today's launch will be the first self-driving vehicle to be
fully integrated with a city's traffic infrastructure.
In addition to studying how the shuttle interacts in a live traffic environment in downtown Las Vegas' busy Innovation District, AAA will survey riders on their experience in order to understand why a large percentage of consumers remain wary of driverless technology, and whether a personal experience changes their perception. AAA partnered with the city of Las Vegas, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) and Keolis North America (Keolis), which will operate and maintain the NAVYA Arma fully electric shuttle.
Tim Condon, President & CEO of AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah,
said autonomous-vehicle technology is poised to bring unprecedented mobility
independence to Americans, in addition to improving traffic safety.
"From the horseless carriage to the driverless car, AAA has built its legacy on making travel safer, easier and more enjoyable," said Condon. "AAA believes autonomous technology has the potential to save lives and improve traffic safety. We believe our Las Vegas pilot will allow the public to experience this exciting technology for themselves and allow their voices to be heard as AAA studies how autonomous transportation can be safely deployed for public use."
The shuttle is manufactured by NAVYA, comes equipped with
LiDAR technology, GPS, cameras, and will seat eight passengers with seatbelts.
Safety features include the ability to automatically and immediately brake in
the event of a pedestrian crossing in the path of the vehicle. In addition to
surveying the shuttle's riders, AAA will examine how others sharing the streets
react to it -- including pedestrians and cyclists. AAA chose Las Vegas for the launch
because of the state's progressive regulations on autonomous vehicles, heavy
investment in innovation, the high volume of visitors and a sunny, dry climate
that's favorable for testing new driving technology.
"Las Vegas is a global
leader in innovation and sustainability and we are excited to partner with AAA,
Keolis and the RTC to bring the NAVYA autonomous shuttle back to Las Vegas," Mayor
Goodman said. "The shuttle will be a great fit in fabulous downtown Las Vegas within our
Innovation District, where we are forerunners in testing new
technologies."
"As a global provider of innovative public
transportation services, we're honored to be working with the city of Las
Vegas, the Southern Nevada Regional Transportation Commission, AAA and our
NAVYA partners to test autonomous shuttle services with residents and visitors
of Las Vegas," said Keolis North America President and CEO Clement Michel.
"Today marks a historic step in introducing the first autonomous shuttles
to operate on an expanded network of city streets in North
America. We're excited to demonstrate to the residents and
visitors of Las Vegas
new technology that will enhance their transportation experiences in the
future."
In addition to the pilot in Las Vegas,
AAA also partnered with GoMentum Station in Concord, California,
to study vehicles being tested at the nation's largest secure proving grounds
for connected and autonomous technology.
How the Self-Driving Shuttle Pilot Program Works
Covering a 0.6-mile loop in the Fremont East
"Innovation District" of downtown Las Vegas, the all-electric, self-driving
shuttle offers free rides for people to experience autonomous transportation in
a real-world environment. The shuttle is the country's first autonomous shuttle
to be fully integrated with "smart-city" infrastructure,
communicating with traffic signals to improve safety and traffic flow. The shuttle
is operated and maintained by Keolis, which also led the efforts to integrate
its vehicle into the smart-city infrastructure, in partnership with the city of
Las Vegas and
NAVYA.
The shuttle can be boarded at any of the autonomous-vehicle shuttle's three stops located on Fremont Street and Carson Street between Las Vegas Boulevard and 8th Street.
AAA is proud to work with the Las Vegas community on this program. The auto
club will donate $1 per passenger during the pilot program for a minimum
donation of $100,000 to the Las
Vegas Victims' Fund and its efforts to support the needs of people impacted
by the Las Vegas
mass shooting October 1, 2017.
AAA
Northern California, Nevada & Utah offers a wide array of automotive,
travel, insurance, DMV, financial services and discounts to more than 5.7
million members. AAA has been an advocate for the safety and security of all travelers
since it was founded over a century ago.
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