Next year, Christchurch International Airport and HMI Technologies will begin a two-year trial to test the driverless Navya Arma, 15-person shuttle at the airport in New Zealand. The initial tests won’t include passengers, but if all goes well, passengers will be added and the shuttle will eventually move to public roads.

For Michael Singleton, general manager of corporate affairs at Christchurch International Airport, this trial could go a long way in future innovations for the airport.

“We hope to eventually see autonomous vehicles operating in and around the airport,” said Singleton via an article from Newstalk ZB. “Before that could happen, we want to understand the infrastructure and operating requirements for these vehicles, to understand the human/technology interface and to build the safety case for autonomous vehicles on our campus.”

Other entities that will be involved in the trials are the University of Canterbury, Christchurch City Council, the NZ Transport Agency and the Ministry of Transport.

“The government is putting New Zealand ahead of the curve in transport innovation,” said Transport Minister Simon Bridges via Scoop Independent News. “Our supportive regulation around testing autonomous vehicles, enabling new technology to be tested while protecting public safety, have helped make this trial possible.”

Bridges added, “The opportunity to conduct extensive research about this 15-seat electric passenger transport shuttle will provide essential information about the vehicle and how it might be used in different New Zealand transport environments.”

The shuttle is fully autonomous, has no steering wheel and is electric powered. At its fastest, it can travel nearly 30 miles per hour.

To make sure that the trial is taking into account safety risks, the NZ Transport Agency and the Ministry of Transport will also work with the Christchurch International Airport and HMI Technologies.

<< Back to the News