Transdev, a global leader in providing transport solutions, has teamed up with autonomous vehicle manufacturer EasyMile and network technology partner Telstra to present the “Driverless Roadtrip” that will feature free public demonstrations in select capital cities and regional centres in late 2017 and early 2018.
Transdev’s spokesperson Kathy Lazanas said: “Self-driving shuttles are no longer a fantasy, the technology is attractive and ready to be adopted in a range of contexts in our cities today.
“Autonomous shuttles are starting to show their worth as a means to improve connections particularly for first-mile, last mile connections. Importantly, they promote shared mobility with a capacity of 12 customers per vehicle.
“We want to spread the excitement about autonomous shuttles, and extend the conversation from places like the Adelaide Convention Centre this past week and online tech forums, to the dining tables and water coolers of everyday Australians and New Zealanders,” Kathy said.
The vehicle on display will be an EasyMile EZ10 fully autonomous driverless shuttle. EasyMile spokesperson Simon Pearce said the demonstrations will highlight the impressive capabilities and safety features of the EZ10, and the benefits of self-driving technology more broadly.
“The EZ10 has been designed to cover short pre‐defined routes through embedded and localisation technologies developed by EasyMile,” he said.
“Using the latest sensory technology, the vehicle can safely respond to environmental changes like moving pedestrians, cyclists and other cars.”
“Our EZ10 vehicle will change the way people move around their communities, allowing more people to enjoy life simplified by the fact that they can now get where they are going, safer, quicker and easier than ever before,” Simon said.
The first stop of the tour after ADVI is Canberra from 23 to 27 November, followed closely by demonstrations in Cairns from 4 to 8 December and Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast from 14 to 16 December. Further roadtrip stops and public demonstrations are planned for Sydney and Melbourne in early 2018, before the roadtrip moves across the Tasman to New Zealand.
About Transdev Australasia
- As an operator and global integrator of mobility, Transdev gives people the freedom to move wherever and however they choose.
- Transdev is proud to move 11 million people around the world every day thanks to efficient, easy to use and environmentally-friendly transportation services that connect people and communities.
- Locally, Transdev is the largest provider of multi-modal public transport, operating services across Australia and New Zealand since 1998.
- Our team of 5,800 employees move 150 million people a year across our seven modes – heavy rail, light rail, bus, coach, ferry, on demand and soon autonomous shuttles – in Armidale, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Auckland and Wellington.
- Our approach is rooted in long-term partnerships with businesses and public authorities, and in the relentless pursuit of the safest and most innovative mobility solutions.
- At Transdev, we are Journey Makers. We believe public transport plays an important part in how a city comes to life. Our day-today work influences our families, friends and future generations where they live, work and play.
- As Journey Makers, our role is to exceed the expectations of the communities we serve and to contribute to liveability and the sustainable development of our cities.
- We are a team of people serving people, and mobility is what we do.
About EasyMile
EasyMile develops, markets, deploys and ensures the maintenance of its autonomous road transport solution based on its EZ10 driverless vehicle. The EZ10 is a driverless electric vehicle that can carry up to 12people (6 seats and 6 standing positions). It is also accessible to people with mobility needs thanks to its DDA compliant access ramp. The EZ10 moves autonomously, combining a fusion of different localisation and detection technologies and is designed to cover short and predefined routes and requires no infrastructure. For more information, go to www.EasyMile.com