The transition toward mobility that includes autonomous shuttles

As part of its Demonstration and Experimentation initiative, Propulsion Québec held the Crossed Perspectives Forum: autonomous shuttles in Quebec on September 9 and 10. Presented as five virtual conferences, it aimed to review autonomous shuttle projects that took place in Quebec and to share the lessons learned from these experiences.

Following the knowledge thatemerged from this exchange, Propulsion Québec proposestheseries of Crossed Perspectives articles highlighting the themes addressed during the Forum.Thisfiftharticle presents afinding onthe transition to mobility that accommodates autonomous shuttles.

Autonomous shuttles will increasingly be part of the mobility landscape over the coming years and experts are questioning the best way to proceed with aintegrationthat is safe and efficient of this mode of transport into our everyday lives.

Safety, integration and "intermobility" issues

Although users responded favorably torecent autonomous shuttle pilot projects deployed in Quebec, the introduction of shuttles and autonomous vehicles into the current transport network faces some challenges. What worries experts most are the different levels of vehicle automation, more commonly called "intermobility." Manufacturers of autonomous vehicles and shuttles must ensure theydevelop tools that enable autonomous shuttles to communicate effectively with all road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, who react less predictably than other road users.

Another issue raised is the integration of the technology required by the shuttles into our current infrastructure. Recently deployed autonomous shuttles behaved quite simply, whereas other connected vehicles currently being tested elsewhere in the world are more technologically complex. According to experts,manufacturers of autonomous shuttles must develop technologies that can integrate with existing infrastructure.

Cybersecurity and data transfer issues must also be considered.

The role of autonomous shuttles

The role of autonomous shuttles is set to evolve over the next few years. It must be carefully considered in order to find the place these types of vehicles will occupy on our roads, in order to best serve citizens (transport solution for the first and last mile, for example). Autonomous shuttles are not only about passenger transport; they can also provide access to food resources and community organizations in certain neighborhoods or to specialized equipment.

The COVID-19 pandemic we are currently experiencing forced some projects to be put on hold but also made it possible to completely reassess the potential and utility of autonomous shuttles. Some cities and institutions around the world have reconfigured the use of their autonomous shuttles to transport medical supplies, personal protective equipment and people, for example.The transition toward mobility that allows the deployment of autonomous shuttles must be anchored in the socio-spatial issues specific to each territory.According to experts, autonomous shuttle projects should include this reflection from the start of the development and testing phases in order to succeed.

Integration with current infrastructure

Autonomous shuttles are non-standard, innovative vehicles equipped with hardware or software enhancements that require specific infrastructure capable of supporting these technologies and tools.

Different elements must therefore be considered when integrating autonomous shuttles into the current road network, namely:

The installation of sufficient numbers of charging stations near the infrastructures where autonomous shuttles operate;
The implementation of a major educational and outreach campaign related to how autonomous shuttles operate and their usefulness, in order to ensure good understanding by different users and a successful project outcome regarding shuttle integration. Human trust in this new technology will play a major role in acceptability and behavior toward these vehicles;
The provision of good road infrastructure to prevent shuttles from having difficulty circulating. In some pilot projects, shuttles had difficulty approaching or navigating the territory where they were deployed because of weather conditions (ice, snow, or damaged pavement).

Experts nevertheless agree thatautonomous shuttles must be able to adapt to the environment in which they will be put into circulation,To be deployed at large scale, these vehicles will have to adapt to existing infrastructure. Interconnectivity between autonomous vehicles and other road users must be effective and standardized by all manufacturers.The construction and deployment of autonomous shuttles fundamentally depend on the initial needs of the context in which they will operate.

Finally, a major awareness campaign among the population must be carried out to demonstrate the potential and usefulness of autonomous vehicles. If people understand their usefulness and feel safe with them, they will be more likely to use this new technological mobility solution. Their advantages and limits must be clearly defined, the environments in which they perform very well, and what they can concretely bring to our mobility so that they occupy a prominent place in tomorrow's road network.

To listen to (or re-listen!) | Webinar on the transition to mobility that makes room for autonomous shuttles

With:

The panelists discussed the steps and challenges they foresee for achieving a gradual implementation of autonomous shuttles in our cities, municipalities and societies.

Primaël-Marie Sodonon, Innovation and Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Projects Advisor, Laboratoire d’innovation urbaine de Montréal;
Nicolas Saunier, Full Professor in the Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering at École Polytechnique de Montréal;
Benjamin Docquiere, Research Associate on the autonomous shuttle project of Quartier de l’Innovation and Master's candidate in Urban Studies, ESG-UQAM.

This forum, organised by Propulsion Québec, was made possible thanks to our major partner theLaboratoire d’innovation urbaine de Montréaland to our collaboratorsJalon MontréalandIVÉO.

The autonomous shuttle industry in Quebec

Several members of Propulsion Québec are involved, directly or indirectly, in the realization of these autonomous shuttle projects. To learn more about their expertise in the field, we invite you to visit their various websites: