In California and San Francisco, things are happening in rapid succession when it comes to autonomous driving.
San Francisco, California, has always been a Silicon Valley hotspot. So it is hardly surprising that autonomous driving has also made a name for itself here. Last but not least, all the big tech companies were based in the area. Recently the US authority CPUC the regulation of autonomous driving scaled down, Truck Limits were removed and now the companies are allowed to try themselves. Not everyone likes that and there have been accidents, but the development seems to be taking place gain weight.
Now, San Francisco has launched an autonomous shuttle service — less than a week after California regulators approved the expansion of robo-taxis despite traffic and safety concerns. The free shuttles will operate daily on a fixed route called “The Loop” on Treasure Island, the site of a former US naval base in the middle of San Francisco Bay. The Loop has seven stops, connecting residential neighborhoods with shops and community centers. About 2,000 people live on the island.
The all-electric vehicle, which has neither a driver’s seat nor a steering wheel, is manned by an attendant who can control the bus with a handheld controller if needed. The shuttle service is arriving as part of a funded pilot program to see how autonomous vehicles can complement the public transit system.
The shuttles are from beep operated, a Florida-based corporation. Beep is running similar pilot programs in more than a dozen US communities. The shuttle, which can hold up to 10 passengers, will operate from 9am to 6pm daily, making the loop every 20 minutes. The city has two shuttles: one can be charged while the other carries passengers.