Are you ready for a driverless shuttle ride in Surrey and Vancouver?
It promises to be a collision-free ride that may drive you into the future.
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You may use driverless SkyTrains as your regular mode of transportation but are you ready for a driverless electric shuttle to ferry you around the cities of Vancouver and Surrey? It promises to be a collision-free ride that may drive you into the future.
The cities of Vancouver and Surrey are offering the public an opportunity to experience a driverless shuttle ride on the ELA, short for electric automation, in February and the rides can be booked online if you want to skip the line.
The ELA is already being used in several countries around the world. It is an electric vehicle that uses a combination of sensors, cameras and computers to understand its surroundings and has a battery life of up to 14 hours. It holds up to 12 passengers and can accommodate wheelchairs, scooters, and strollers.
It will travel at about 12 km/hour during the demo but has a maximum travelling speed of 40 km/hour. During the demo, the shuttle will be separated from traffic to ensure public safety and a trained operator will be on board.
The cities of Vancouver and Surrey jointly entered Infrastructure Canada’s Smart Cities Challenge with a focus on mobility. They were selected as finalists and the winners will be announced in Spring 2019.
Winning the challenge would mean $50 million in prize money, allowing the two cities to implement Canada’s first two collision-free corridors using autonomous vehicles. According to the project’s website, autonomous vehicles are anticipated to eliminate one of the leading contributors to collisions — human error. This can improve safety, enhance sustainability, and reduce congestion on busy corridors.
Ride details:
Surrey Location: Surrey Civic Plaza
Dates: February 1-4, 6, 9-10, and 13-17
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Vancouver Locations: Olympic Village SkyTrain station (parking lot) and Manitoba and W 1st Ave (northwest corner)
Dates: Feb. 23 — Mar. 3
Times: 12 p.m. — 6 p.m. Mon-Fri and 10 a.m. — 5 p.m. on weekends
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