Driverless shuttle about ready to roll

In just a few months, Gainesville residents will be among the first in the state to travel for free through their town in a driverless shuttle.

Friday, the city of Gainesville inched closer to that goal as it unveiled its sleek and much-anticipated autonomous shuttle, offering rides at the old Regional Transit System site.

City officials said the launch puts Gainesville ahead of others in the state when it comes to autonomous vehicle research and services available to the public.

“Beyond just moving people around, this is a good opportunity to explore the technology and get the residents familiar with it,” Assistant City Manager Dan Hoffman said.

City officials expect three more shuttles in the coming months in what is a three-year pilot program funded through the Florida Department of Transportation. The vehicles are expected to be available to the public in August and will eventually travel from Depot Park to the University of Florida campus.

Andy Chatham, the director of product development for Transdev, the shuttle’s operator, said the other shuttles will make Gainesville home to the nation’s first mixed-traffic, regularly operating autonomous shuttle service.

Other cities — like Las Vegas, Nevada, and San Ramon, California — have launched similar shuttles, but none with multiple vehicles in service at once, Chatham said.

The vehicle is electric-powered and valued around $300,000. It travels at speeds of 10 to 20 mph and comes equipped with several safety features, including emergency stop and SOS buttons.

Inside the shuttle, there are six seats and room for another six people to stand. Passengers can look out from windows on four sides and use USB charging ports for their mobile devices. There are two flat screens — one to show the route and one to show the vehicle’s speed and battery life.

The shuttle also has a camera to watch riders and to allow video calls with dispatchers in case of an emergency.

The shuttle is programmed to a specific route and will stop automatically at several locations along the route. Travelers will have to hit the green “go” button to close the doors and restart the route, which will signal a bell sound to notify people that the shuttle is about to move.

There is also a button to deploy a ramp for people in wheelchairs.

On each corner of the box-shaped vehicle are sensors, along with additional sensors on the front and back, which will stop the vehicle if an object or person is detected.

“Speed is the biggest factor in safety, especially with these vehicles where emergency stops could be generated by people jumping out in front of them,” Chatham said.

By 2019, city officials hope to create an on-demand service, similar to Uber or Lyft rides.

Chatham said riders will be able to request the shuttle pick them up through an app, similar to for-hire vehicle services.

City Manager Anthony Lyons said the autonomous shuttle is just one way the city is trying to make traveling easier and safer. The city also is exploring ways for streetlights to communicate directly with vehicles equipped with new technologies, using express RTS routes, and expanding the Zagster bike-share program.

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