Rural Minnesota community test drives autonomous shuttle service that features ADA-compliant minivans

To this point, experimentations with autonomous vehicle technology has been mostly centered in large, connected cities like Las Vegas. A rural region in Minnesota is working to change that: In a first-of-its-kind rural pilot program called goMARTI (Minnesota’s Autonomous Rural Transit Initiative), a fleet of five self-driving Toyota Sienna Autono-MaaS minivans, three of which will be American Disability Act-compliant and wheelchair accessible, launched this week in Grand Rapids, Minn.

The goal of the pilot program “is to demonstrate that AVs (autonomous vehicles) reach their greatest societal impact when used for public transportation. The deployment will allow anyone to book a free, on-demand, shared ride from an AV. The project will also advance the deployments of AVs in rural terrains and diverse and sometimes harsh weather conditions,” reads a statement from May Mobility, which is working the project along with Via, the creator of TransitTech, in collaboration with many other organizations.

The pilot will be carried out over 18 months, with the autonomous vehicles covering 70 pickup and drop-off points over 17 square miles.

“The goMARTI demonstration project will provide great insight on how the technology stands up in rural Minnesota winter conditions,” said Nancy Daubenberger, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). “MnDOT continues its commitment to collaborate with local communities and valued partners to find innovative ways to provide safe, accessible transportation options for all Minnesotans.”

While rides are open to everyone, the program is designed to serve those without a car or who have mobility challenges—with the aim of using technology to help everyone achieve an independent lifestyle supported by convenient travel, regardless of income or ability.

To read the complete article, visit American City & County.