On Friday, Oct. 19, Drive.ai officially launched its self-driving program in the city of Arlington, Texas.
For Drive.ai, this is the second self-driving service that it has launched on public roads in the last four months, with the first launching in Frisco, Texas back in July.
During the program in Arlington, Drive.ai is deploying its fleet of self-driving vehicles in Arlington’s downtown district, making the technology available to more than 400,000 residents, as well as visitors to the area.
Pilot Projects
Pilot Projects
Calgary's first driverless shuttle pilot project welcomes 4,500 passengers
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the first public trial of a driverless shuttle in Calgary, Alberta, Canada has come to an end.
During the 22-day pilot project, a total of 4,500 visitors were shuttled between Telus Spark and the Calgary Zoo, as the vehicle operated on a separate roadway free of other vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.
According to City transportation engineer Colin Chapman, passengers had a lot of questions about the vehicle.
“They were interested to see a vehicle that doesn't have a steering wheel, and obviously a bit unsure while they're getting on,” Chapman says via CBC.
Botlink receives first FAA waiver for flight over people with a parachute system
Drone safety systems company ParaZero Israel Ltd has announced that Botlink, a North Dakota UAS operator, has received the first FAA waiver for flight over people with a parachute system.
Under the waiver, Botlink will use ParaZero’s SafeAir System on a DJI Phantom 4 to perform missions for local law enforcement. Additionally, the company will use the waiver to generate media content as part of the North Dakota Department of Transportation's efforts under the UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP).
New South Wales Driverless Shuttle welcomes first passengers
This week, the New South Wales (NSW) Driverless Shuttle at Sydney Olympic Park welcomed its first passengers, as a select group of competition winners from the 2018 Easter Show took a ride in the vehicle, and effectively opened stage two of the state’s first driverless shuttle trial.
“I’m very excited to see passengers on these vehicles,” says Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance.
“We know self-driving cars will play a major role in the future and that’s the future we’re preparing for right now.”
City of Reno, Nevada and Flirtey complete first flights under UAS IPP
The city of Reno, Nevada and Flirtey have successfully completed their first flights under the UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP).
The city of Reno and Flirtey conducted the first multi-drone delivery demonstration under the program, as a single Flirtey pilot operated multiple Flirtey UAS at the same time, and simulated the delivery of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the presence of the FAA.
The flights were conducted under a regulatory waiver that allows multiple small UAS to be operated by one pilot.
“Flirtey just demonstrated deliveries with multiple drones per pilot for the first time, which is a major milestone toward scaling drone delivery nationwide,” says Flirtey Founder and CEO Matthew Sweeny.
Transdev launching autonomous school shuttle at Florida's Babcock Ranch
This fall, Transdev will debut the first autonomous school shuttle in the world at Babcock Ranch—the first fully solar-powered community in the country—in Florida.
Transdev, which is the mobility partner for Babcock Ranch, is completing more than two months of testing on school shuttle routes that will augment existing autonomous options within the community.
During the pilot-program, Transdev will offer the service to Babcock Neighborhood School (BNS) students who live within Babcock Ranch. Transdev will use the pilot to evaluate rider behavior and demand.
AutoX launches self-driving grocery delivery pilot program in San Jose
On August 27, self-driving car company AutoX launched its grocery delivery Pilot program in San Jose, California.
The grocery delivery and mobile store pilot allows users to order and receive fresh produce and other goods, with AutoX’s self-driving cars making the deliveries.
The pilot will be available to customers in geo-fenced areas near AutoX’s home in San Jose, and regular expansions are expected to occur every few weeks.
To start, users will download the AutoX app, where they can browse and order items such as, but not limited to, fresh perishables, vegetables, fruits, etc. Throughout their ride over to customers, the groceries will be well-preserved in a temperature-controlled environment.
Lyft and Aptiv complete 5,000 self-driving rides
Lyft and Aptiv have announced that they have completed 5,000 rides in Aptiv's self-driving vehicles.
The companies launched their self-driving program at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, and after a successful CES run, the program was extended to be an ongoing Lyft mode for Las Vegas in May, with a fleet of Aptiv self-driving vehicles launching on Lyft’s network.
“Hitting 5,000 consumer rides is a major milestone, not just for the Aptiv and Lyft, but for the entire mobility space,” says Glen De Vos, CTO of Aptiv and president of Aptiv’s Mobility and Services group.
“This is the first of its kind commercial self-driving program, and we are proud to be offering AVs for public use today.”
Navya and Keolis Canada announce Canada's first autonomous shuttle pilot project on public roads
Navya and Keolis Canada recently announced the launch of a 12-month autonomous shuttle pilot project, which is set to begin at the end of this month in Candiac, Quebec, Canada.
During the year-long pilot, Navya’s AUTONOM shuttle will operate in real traffic conditions on public roads, which will be a first in Canada. In an effort to determine how to best meet user's mobility needs, especially during their home-work trips, the shuttle will carry users on a two-kilometer route, with several stops throughout the city.
Kroger and Nuro launch autonomous grocery delivery service in Arizona
After announcing their pilot program for a fully autonomous grocery delivery service in June, Kroger and Nuro have now announced that the program is launching in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Starting August 16, customers can place delivery orders with a single location of Fry's Food Stores via the store’s website or the Fry's Food Stores mobile app. Orders are placed based on slot availability.
Grocery orders can be scheduled for same-day or next-day delivery by Nuro's fleet of self-driving vehicles. There is no minimum amount required to place an order, and the service charges a flat fee of $5.95.
