Three Driverless Shuttles to Connect Train Station and Museum Site in Rural France in 12km Round-Trip
The NIMFEA (“Navettes Innovantes Modulaires du Futur Expérimentales et Autonomes”) project is a multi-partner operation bringing together public and private players, including Seine Normandie Agglomération, Transdev Autonomous Transport System (ATS), Transdev Normandie and NextMove, a competitiveness cluster. Together they will provide a shared autonomous shuttle service between April and October 2022 during the summer season.
The route combines the more urban area around the train station including mixed traffic, roundabouts and pedestrians, before crossing a bridge to meet a regional road for the final segment to the museum precinct in the neighbouring village.
Benieke Treverton, EasyMile’s Head of Communications said at today’s introductory event:This is a clear indication of the maturing of driverless technology, with it ready and capable of joining these two areas with their complexities. It corresponds very well with EasyMile’s strategy of use cases where there can be a real service. I can see services like this in other countries and certainly elsewhere in France.
The service will run with three EZ10 driverless shuttles, which can accommodate up to 12 passengers each. It is one of the longest routes on mixed open roads ever tested by this type of autonomous vehicle.
The technological challenges to be met are significant and set a benchmark for future deployments of autonomous mobility services:
- Establishing a traffic speed compatible with the use of the road
- Crossing complex junctions
- Ensuring remote supervision
- The project will also focus on measuring the social appropriation of this autonomous transport service.
The objectives of the project are to:
- Ensure mobility for all: residents, employees and tourists;
- Contribute to the evolution of regulations
- Implement a remote supervision system
- Train and support new skills in the mobility ecosystem.
The NIMFEA project is also the winner of the 5th edition of the France Mobilités – Territoires de nouvelles mobilités durables “Tenmod”, sponsored by Ademe. This is an additional recognition in line with the objectives: how to adapt to meet the mobility needs of citizens, what solutions in suburban and rural areas?
This article was originally published by EasyMile.
