EasyMile opens its North American headquarters in Denver, Colorado. The company has autonomous shuttle ventures planned in Colorado, Minnesota and Gainesville, Florida. Photo: EasyMileGainesville, Florida, is the next city to adopt autonomous shuttle vehicles.
Driverless shuttles are scheduled to appear in May under a partnership between the city, the University of Florida and the Florida Department of Transportation, according to Govtech.com.
French company EasyMile will provide three electric 12-passenger shuttles, which will not exceed 25 mph. Rides will be free.
The shuttles will run from downtown to the university and back on 10-minute intervals during peak hours and 20-minute intervals other times, Govtech.com reports.
The system, to be called the Gainesville Autonomous Transit Shuttle, or GAToRS, will be a three-year trial project.
EasyMile’s EZ10 electric shuttle buses are in use in 14 countries, the company says.
EasyMile recently opened its North American headquarters in Denver, Colorado, in the Panasonic building. The company is working with Panasonic, the Colorado Department of Transportation and others to implement an autonomous vehicle program beside the Panasonic building in spring. The driverless shuttles will connect the city’s 61st and Pena Station light rail station to bus routes on Tower Road, the company says.
EasyMile has also been hired by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to test autonomous electric shuttles this winter to see how they perform in cold weather. The tests are being conducted at MnDOT’s test facility and are expected to end in February.
