“Electric shuttles†may not be the sexiest two words in automobile tech today. Fast-forward a decade or two, however, and urban centres across the globe will be transformed — armies of silent, automated shuttles will be the lifeblood of cities to come.
Which means, basically, that come September the MIT campus will have three test models zipping a select group of students and faculty from location to location — gathering data on pedestrian flow and learning traffic patterns throughout the ride.
This brief B-roll (no audio) provides a snapshot of the project:
On a macro scale, in populous environments, this kind of data could predict demand, optimize routing efficiency and ultimately reduce wait times between rides. With widespread deployment, urban mobility of the future would be a smooth ride indeed — and gridlock would be a tedium of the past.
Until this brave new world is born, you’ll have to enjoy driving your Ford yourself! Drop by our dealership in New Westminster, B.C. or contact us to learn more.