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Straight Arrow News
Detroit will launch its free, round-trip autonomous shuttle service to the public next week.
The pilot program, called The Connect, is free and will begin at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, with the 10.8-mile route running from Corktown through downtown to the East Jefferson riverfront and back again. The city says shuttles will arrive every 10 to 15 minutes during rush hours. The Michigan Department of Transportation will provide $1.67 million for a fifth shuttle.
To ensure smooth operation and to ensure the shuttles adapt to Detroit’s urban environment, they will initially be manually controlled. More features will be added throughout the year, including fully autonomous driving through a partnership with Perrone Robotics. A security officer will also be present throughout the pilot. The pilot will launch with four all-electric, wheelchair-accessible Ford E-Transit shuttles.
Operating hours are Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Passengers can track the shuttles in real time on theconnect.liftango.com, which will be accessible via mobile devices. A video tutorial and user manuals will be available when the service opens on the official website.
Outside the city, several partners are involved in the project, including Bedrock, Michigan Central and the state Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, which is providing $1.5 million in funding in the first year. Perrone Robotics will operate the shuttles.
Further information is available on the city’s website via the Mobility Innovation Office.
Dana Afana is the Free Press’ Detroit City Hall reporter. Contact: [email protected]. Follow her: @DanaAfana.
