Driverless Shuttle Pilot Now Operating in Denver

Jon Murray reports on the debut of a driverless shuttle, working a free circular route operated by Denver's Regional Transportation District.

The 61AV, as the route is called, runs every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, mostly using public streets, according to Murray. "It connects the 61st Avenue and Peña Boulevard commuter rail station to … well, not much — at least not yet."

"But there’s a long way to go before shuttles such as the six-seat EZ10 designed by EasyMile, a French company that placed its U.S. headquarters in Denver, are common sights on urban streets," according to Murray.

The long road ahead is apparent in the modest scope of 61AV. The route is considered a "low-pressure testing ground" for lessons in the role autonomous vehicles can play in addressing first-last mile obstacles. In fact, "[t]he goal with the pilot is not to attract a large ridership, though new apartments are set to open soon at one stop."

The feature-length article includes more details on the ambitions of the project, how the driverless shuttle works, and expectations for humans to adopt this new mobility technology.