by
The City of Detroit's free self-driving, electric minibus service, which launched last August before going on hiatus on Jan. 31, is resuming service on July 7. The relaunch includes expanded stops, such as the Honey Bee Market in southwest Detroit—known for its homemade guacamole—and the Dequindre Cut.
The Connect AV Shuttle Service is Detroit's fully electric, wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle pilot program, the city said in a press release. After four weeks, full operations will begin in early August. A fifth car has been put on order to add to the fleet.
The Connect shuttle will encompass a 10.8-mile, two-way route connecting key areas of Detroit—from Corktown through downtown to the East Jefferson Riverfront and back. Hours of operation will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beginning in November, service hours will extend to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Shuttles will arrive approximately every 10 minutes during peak hours. Passengers can track the minibus service here.
"The pilot shuttles will be manually operated to allow for operations acclimation, analyze potential route adjustments, and verify the specific autonomous features needed for Detroit’s urban environment," the city said in the release.
"Over time, additional capabilities and functionalities will be added, including full autonomous driving later this year in partnership with Perrone Robotics. Throughout the duration of the pilot, a safety operator will remain behind the wheel of The Connect shuttles at all times. The City of Detroit, along with its partners, will continue to engage with the community to gather feedback and make improvements to the service." The city said it has a contract to keep the service running for for at least 12 months.
Crain's Detroit Business reports that the shuttle originally connected the Michigan Central campus to the Bedrock-owned Icon Building at 200 Walker St., with stops along the way including the Rosa Parks Transit Center, Campus Martius, City Hall, and Rivertown Market.
However, community feedback led to the addition of eight more stops, including Honey Bee Market, the Dequindre Cut, the Rivertown neighborhood, and more.
Initially, $1.5 million in funding came from Michigan Central, Bedrock, and the State of Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification—each contributing $500,000.
An additional $1.67 million from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will support the addition of a fifth shuttle, reduce wait times, and extend the pilot for at least the 12 months.
