StreetCAV, an autonomous shuttle based on an Ohmio LIFT vehicle, is set to commence operations in Milton Keynes in the UK next month. It is a driverless shuttle developed by a consortium of private- and public-sector organizations, supported by the CAM Supply Chain UK program and funded by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV). The partners involved in the project are Smart City Consultancy (SMCCL), Zenzic, Milton Keynes City Council, Ohmio, CableFree, BT and Electronics Computers and Systems.
If this pilot project is successful, residents could begin using the service as early as next year. SMCCL is leading the project. The company’s CEO, Ian Pulford, said, “The StreetCAV project has been going for some time now, so we are absolutely thrilled that it is finally at a stage where we can reveal it to the world.
“We have also worked rigorously to ensure public safety. Working closely with Milton Keynes City Council, BT and ECS, we will establish a city-center control room, connected by a specifically designed communications network provided by CableFree, which will, in turn, allow the Ohmio vehicles to be supervised and managed remotely.”
Zenzic was set up by industry and the government to help the UK become a world leader in the deployment of connected and autonomous vehicles. The organization has provided over £100m (US$129m) in funding to scores of projects through its programs, and helped set up the CAM Testbed UK.
Mark Cracknell, program director at Zenzic, said, “Should the trial prove a success, it could lay the foundations for a more connected, inclusive and resilient transportation network not only for Milton Keynes but for towns and cities across the globe.”