3 Reasons to have Autonomous Shuttles on College Campuses
As a general rule, college campuses have welcomed societal change and embraced the latest technologies. Thus, introducing autonomous mobility to this environment is a perfect use-case opportunity. Not only can you determine how autonomous vehicles (AVs) can meet the needs and expectations of a dynamic student body and staff, the students themselves and college departments can be engaged to research and measure performance, interactions, and user attitudes.
Research and Data
Autonomous shuttles can be incorporated into research happening in a variety of university departments, including robotics, computer science, sociology, and data analytics. Involving students in data collection, readiness assessments, route planning, compliance, safety planning, site maintenance, and performance verification provides them with a valuable learning platform.
Mobility
Driverless transportation can be used to provide a mobility service in and around campus for students, professors, and campus visitors. It is vital to identify a route and operation that meets a mobility need and can provide a meaningful service.
Once the "why" is determined and justified, there are other project complexities that require thoughtful consideration including but not limited to:
Service hours
Whether they are studying, socializing, or working, college students keep odd hours so it is vital to determine a convenient schedule that meets the needs of your demographic
Speed
Safety is the top priority so it is important that the shuttle doesn't exceed a determined speed
Routes
Will the shuttle stay on campus or travel to other nearby destinations?
What are the physical conditions of the road? Are there any gradient changes?
How many stop signs and intersections are on the route?
Where can the vehicle be stored and charged that’s near the route?
Communications
How, if at all, is the AV service integrated with a broader transportation service?
Will the autonomous transport schedule information be communicated via a website? SmartPhone app?
What signage will be used for shuttle stops?
Education Beyond the Classroom
In addition to engaging students, autonomous shuttles can be integrated into a university’s transportation system in order to educate university stakeholders about the driverless technology potential. Stakeholders can be key community members, alumni, influential donors, and committees and/or departments. Demonstrating how AVs can solve campus and student life issues while also validating economic feasibility and sustainability on a smaller scale proves the value of autonomous transport deployment. When stakeholders witness the dynamics and changes in campus transportation operations, they can visualize it deployed on a larger scale in the other communities and environments.
EasyMile has had the opportunity to deploy its driverless shuttles at many college campuses around the world. In the United States, the EZ10s have been deployed at the University of Utah, North Carolina State University (NCSU) (in Raleigh, North Carolina), and Texas A&M (in Corpus Christi, Texas) to name a few in addition to AvCo’s deployment at Colorado School of Mines in Golden. Here are a few of highlights from these deployments:
At the University of Utah, the Utah Department of Transportation, Utah Transit Authority, and the University agreed-upon a route that connected the Student Union, gymnasium, housing, dining, and classrooms. In addition to providing a mobility solution, the University implemented a psychological study to characterize passenger reactions to a hidden safety operator.
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) partnered with NCSU to introduce an innovative transit option that would enable them to learn more about how this technology can be safely and effectively used in the future to offer additional mobility solutions, to help familiarize people with new transportation technologies, and to encourage environmentally-friendly transportation solutions.
Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority (CCRTA), Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and MV Transportation provided a driverless shuttle service in order to alleviate traffic and parking stress, while also reducing the University’s collective carbon footprint. The shuttle also connected to the local public transportation system.
The AvCo CityForward playbook is your educational resource to help you prepare for your own AV deployment. When you are ready to consider or deploy AV for your college, student body, and stakeholders, we are here to help you plan, launch, operate and evaluate.
