The Washington region is about to experience self-driving vehicles in public transportation.
Fairfax County and Dominion Energy are testing an autonomous electric shuttle that could be carrying passengers between the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station and the county’s eclectic Mosaic District as early as this fall.
Called Relay, the 13-foot-long blue bus will trek a mile-long route without a driver aboard. The vehicle, which has no steering wheel or pedals, is equipped with sensors programmed to keep it on a predefined route and to spot and avoid any obstacles in its way, officials said.
“This is our future,” said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff C. McKay (D-At Large), who recently went on a test ride. “People’s heads were swiveling off their necks trying to get a glimpse of it. It was a pretty amazing ride.”
Recent Comments