Jul 06, 2017
NAVYA, a self-driving shuttle manufacturer located out of France, has planned to develop its first U.S. plant. Vehicle production is scheduled to begin before the end of 2017, which will include an assembly plant located out of Southeast Michigan. The plant will produce 20 ARMA shuttles and employ at least 15 people. Though the exact location of the plant was not released, Ann Arbor is expected to be the target area.
ARMA shuttles are entirely autonomous, driverless, and electric. With room for 15 passengers, they are designed to increase public transportation and can reach speeds of 28 mph. ARMA shuttles are very environmentally friendly, including batteries that can last from 5 to 13 hours according to the configuration and traffic conditions. To guarantee a safe and reliable service, the driverless shuttles are guided by GPS, cameras, Lidar laser sensing, and other sensors.
Development in Michigan
NAVYA previously developed in-state partnerships with the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor SPARK economic development group. Its driverless shuttle began operating in December of 2016 at the University of Michigan’s autonomous testing site, “MCity.”
MCity plans to study how passengers react to the vehicle, monitoring consumer acceptance of driverless technology. The exterior cameras will capture the behavior of other road users, focusing on the reaction of bicyclists and pedestrians. The data gathered will allow researchers to design and operate safer vehicles with maximum efficiency.
Starting this fall, the self-driving technology will exit the university’s testing site and hit the roads of the North Campus. Successfully operating at universities out of Switzerland, the ARMA shuttles are perfect for campus environments around the globe.
What Does This Mean for the Industry?
The automotive industry is now being led by technology, as opposed to cost, horsepower, or brand. So, with the uprising of autonomous vehicles, the automotive industry is becoming more about open partnerships and collaboration. This will allow for companies to rapidly advance and exceed their potential together.
