The deployment of the nation’s largest fleet of low-speed, autonomous electric shuttles launched this week in multiple cities across Colorado.
The low-speed shuttle service in Golden, Colorado is designed to operate in normal traffic and is named The Mines Rover, according to the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance and the Colorado School of Mines. The deployment comes as a result of the Autonomous Vehicles Colorado (AvCo) program, which is designed to improve public transportation using advanced technologies.
For at least the next year, the autonomous shuttle buses will connect Mines students, faculty, staff, and the general public with key destinations in the city and around campus that currently lack convenient mobility options. The shuttles are designed to safely navigate regular traffic using advanced sensors and technology.
“When people think of autonomous vehicles today, they see themselves riding alone—separated from other people and the overall transportation system," Tyler Svitak, Executive Director of the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance, said in a statement. "We want AvCo to change that perception by allowing people to experience how these technologies can maximize individual and societal benefits through integration with a shared public transit system.”
The first phase of the program includes a fleet of nine driverless, zero-emission shuttles that will connect Colorado School of Mines’ central campus, athletics complex, student housing, and downtown Golden.
More information can be found on the websites for the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance and the Colorado School of Mines.
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SOURCE: Colorado Smart Cities Alliance | Colorado School of Mines
