Colorado celebrates 'Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Day'
Declaration reinforces initiatives like Panasonic’s connected vehicle partnership with the Colorado DOT, as well as acknowledge EasyMile for their North American headquarters grand opening.
In addition to Panasonic’s connected vehicle technology demonstration, EasyMile highlighted its autonomous shuttle at the Peña Station NEXT development.
2 min to read
Right to left: RTD’s Dave Genova (Regional Transportation District), PNA’s Jim Doyle, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, EasyMile’s Lauren Isaac, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, and PNA’s Jarrett Wendt.
Panasonic welcomed Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper to its Denver offices, where he proclaimed December 4 as “Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Day” to reinforce initiatives like Panasonic’s connected vehicle partnership with the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) RoadX Program, as well as acknowledge EasyMile for their North American headquarters grand opening co-located within the Panasonic building.
“By launching this first-of-its-kind connected vehicle program, we are rapidly leveraging transportation technology to improve safety and mobility on our roadways,” said Gov. Hickenlooper.
Enabled by the autonomous vehicle legislation that State Representatives, Gov. Hickenlooper, and other critical stakeholders recently spearheaded, Panasonic and EasyMile, in coordination with CDOT, the City and County of Denver, and the Regional Transit District, are planning the implementation of an autonomous vehicle technology deployment next to the Panasonic building in spring 2018. The driverless shuttle program will connect RTD’s 61st and Pena Station light rail station to bus routes on Tower Road, to provide a seamless first- and last-mile solution. This implementation will be the first project of its kind in North America.
In addition to Panasonic’s connected vehicle technology demonstration, EasyMile highlighted its autonomous shuttle at the Peña Station NEXT development.
Panasonic marked the milestone yesterday in its alliance with the CDOT, by highlighting its connected vehicle operations center. Gov. Hickenlooper, civic leaders, and select corporate executives were invited to experience an exclusive demonstration of Colorado’s first connected transportation program that shares real-time data across vehicles, infrastructure, and people to improve safety and mobility on the road. Panasonic and CDOT have committed to preparing the statewide deployment of an eco-system of connected cars and autonomous vehicles. This effort, which is already underway, is expected to significantly reduce crashes and injuries, improve traffic flow, and increase capacity of the highway.
In addition to Panasonic’s connected vehicle technology demonstration, EasyMile highlighted its autonomous shuttle at the Peña Station NEXT development. Announced as part of the Dec. 4 proclamation ceremony, the EasyMile shuttle made its inaugural ride to Peña Station, offering a practical application of first- and last-mile connections with existing public transit systems. This unique coordination between EasyMile, RTD, CDOT, City and County of Denver, and Panasonic is one of the first of its kind in the U.S. The route is set to be in service in late Spring/early Summer 2018.
“We selected Denver as our North America headquarters for many reasons: the regulations are very supportive of our technology, we’ve already established partnerships with many Denver-based organizations, including Colorado DOT, RTD, the City and County of Denver, Panasonic and NREL, and there is a wealth of talent to leverage,” said Gilbert Gagnaire, CEO and founder of EasyMile.
Today’s riders—and the communities you serve—expect more from public transit. While ADA compliance is required, leading transit agencies know that true accessibility also means delivering dignity, efficiency, and a better rider experience. This whitepaper reveals why forward thinking agencies nationwide choose the Low Floor Frontrunner as their first choice for ADA compliant vehicles—setting a new standard with passenger first design, faster boarding, improved safety, and unmatched operational performance.
Under this extension, Keolis will continue to manage and operate fixed-route bus service across the East Valley, serving communities including Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, the town of Gilbert, parts of Phoenix, and the Gila River Indian Community.
Through the strategic partnership, MOIA America will provide MOIA’s turnkey autonomous mobility solution. This includes purpose-built, autonomous-ready ID. Buzz vehicles equipped with the self-driving system developed by Mobileye, as well as operator training and enablement.
LexRide connects key destinations, including Downtown Lexington, the Distillery District, and the Warehouse Block/National Avenue area, making it easier to explore without worrying about parking, traffic, or multiple rideshare trips.
Sustainability Partners’ Arnold Albiar discusses how a service-based approach is helping airports and public agencies deploy and manage electric fleets more efficiently.
The expanded service builds on Pace’s growing On Demand network and is intended to improve access to destinations such as medical appointments, schools, shopping, employment centers and connections to the regional transit system.
An important part of the authority’s NextGen Bus Network, MARTA Reach will bring transit service directly to the rider’s location and offer a seamless link to the broader rail and bus system.
