In an effort to support the technological development of the public transport network in Lyon, France, Navya has launched two autonomous shuttles in the city that will be fully integrated into Lyon's public transport network over the next two years.

The shuttles will provide a regular service Mondays through Saturdays, except on match days and during other events.

The shuttles will operate on a 1.4-kilometer route that is located in a dense urban traffic environment that is used by thousands of vehicles each day. The route passes through one roundabout, four intersections with traffic lights, and eight pedestrian crossings at an average speed of 13 to 15 kilometers per hour, allowing Navya to address several key technical challenges. The goal is to eventually increase this to 20 to 25 kilometers per hour.  

“I would like to thank all the partners of this trial that illustrates Navya’s technological leadership and know-how in autonomous mobility, as recently acknowledged at the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport,” says Etienne Hermite, chief executive officer of Navya.

“This collaboration also demonstrates the relevance of incorporating autonomous shuttles within a transport system to meet today’s urban mobility challenges.”

The service is part of the Autonomous Vehicles to Evolve to New Urban Experience (AVENUE) European measures, which was selected by the HORIZON 2020 European project to develop autonomous vehicles in European cities.

Other pilot cities that have been chosen include Geneva, Luxembourg and Copenhagen.