During the International Transport Forum Summit 2018, held May 23-25, international public transportation operator Transdev rolled out an autonomous transportation service using an EasyMile EZ10 shuttle on a closed route outside the convention centre.
The route was only 200m long, but illustrates Transdev’s vision to start with providing last-mile services and integrating them with existing networks. The fully electric shuttles ferried up to 12 passengers back and forth for the whole duration of the summit.
Apart from small-scale showcases like this, Transdev is planning to launch the ‘Rouen Normandy Autonomous Lab’. This 11m (US$12.8m) project aims to improve the last-mile transportation in the urban area and business district of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy.
It is planned to launch later this year and promises to give people rides in autonomous Renault ZOEs and Lohr i-Cristal electric shuttles on three pre-defined routes totalling 10.5km with 17 stops.
By Illya Verpraet