Nine Michigan companies and the City of Grand Rapids have come together to form a unique coalition that will place autonomous vehicles on city streets in March 2019. The Grand Rapids Autonomous Mobility Initiative is the next big step to prove that civic infrastructure can support the ever-evolving, ever-expanding operational capabilities of the rapidly approaching autonomous vehicle market.

The Grand Rapids Autonomous Mobility Initiative will bring four May Mobility six-seat, electric shuttles to the streets of downtown Grand Rapids from March 2019 to March 2020. This first-of-its kind coalition brings together enterprise and infrastructure to gather and analyze critical information to understand the usage of autonomous vehicles and their environments. The fleet will operate complementary to the city’s existing DASH transportation fleet. Shuttles will be free for riders.

Consisting of companies including May Mobility, Consumers Energy, Faurecia, Gentex, Rockford Construction, Seamless, and Steelcase, and public organizations including the City of Grand Rapids and Start Garden.

The Grand Rapids Autonomous Mobility Initiative will operate on a 3.2-mile section of the city’s existing DASH West bus route, which provides access to both downtown Grand Rapids and the city’s West Side and Heartside business districts. The route includes 22 stops, 30 traffic lights and 12 turns, including three left turns. As a commuter-driven service, the DASH West provides connectivity to more than 10 city-owned parking lots and points of interest that include David D. Hunting YMCA, Kendall College of Art & Design, Grand Rapids Children's Museum, Van Andel Arena, and Bridge Street Market.

“Across the U.S., cities are seeking cost-effective, safe, and reliable transportation services that will improve congestion and convert cities into more livable and green spaces. Self-driving shuttles are a great solution,” said Edwin Olson, founder and CEO of May Mobility. “As we strive to make transportation is more accessible and convenient, we’re thrilled to be working with the City of Grand Rapids and partners to accelerate a path toward a future where the people of Grand Rapids can drive less and live more.”

The Grand Rapids Autonomous Mobility Initiative will focus on three areas during its operation:

• Feasibility: Little research has been done on the impact of mobility on our cities, yet every change in transport technology has transformed them. The autonomous vehicle initiative is designed to gain insight and understand how it impacts existing urban structures.

• Accessibility: Address how autonomous vehicles improve or impact mobility for the elderly and people with disabilities, and explore solutions around design of interiors and the urban environment to facilitate accessibility.

• Community: Prepare the local community and neighborhoods for the effects of autonomous mobility. This is a priority for the initiative and will include open sessions for community stakeholders for community visioning, goal setting, plan making, and recommendations for public investments.

The coalition’s approach will include partnering with developers, urban planners, accessibility experts, and community stakeholders to understand their needs and design solutions that will build trust and capability with the autonomous technology created by May Mobility.