Driverless shuttle service planned for Merrifield
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| An example of an autonomous shuttle in a report on economic initiatives submitted by the Fairfax County Executive’s Office to the Board of Supervisors. [City of Arlington, Texas] |
The first autonomous shuttle service in Fairfax County – and most likely the state of Virginia – could be operating within a year or so between the Dunn Loring Metro station and the Mosaic District.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation applied for a $200,000 grant from the state and is partnering with the Virginia Department of Transportation and Dominion Energy to develop the Connected Autonomous Vehicle Demonstration Project. The county will also contribute $50,000 in matching funds.
The driverless transportation system would be a pilot test of a first-mile, last-mile solution to connect people to major transit hubs and activity centers along existing roads. That would be helpful for people who live in Mosaic, which is within walking distance of Metro but too far to be convenient.
While the slow-moving shuttle wouldn’t have a driver, there would be an operator on board in case something goes wrong, says Mike Wing of Providence Supervisor Linda Smyth’s office.
“We’re pretty confident the project is going to go forward,” Wing says. “The state is very serious and the county is very serious. It’s got a lot of potential.”
Major decisions haven’t been made, however, on the type of vehicle, whether to purchase or lease it, the route, and how fares would be collected.
If the pilot is successful, the county would consider expanding the driverless shuttle to a broader area in Merrifield, including Fairfax Hospital and Fairview Park.
Various developers have already committed to providing shuttle services to Metro, so those funds could eventually be used for an autonomous shuttle, Wing says.
I for one, welcome our robot overlords!
You definitely won the internet.
Love it. Hopefully less people driving.
This is great, but as usual Mason gets ignored. I would love this service to East Falls Ch, Van Dorn or the Ballston metro stations.
Mason joins every other area in the Commonwealth to be "ignored." I am amazed how quickly people complain about anything and everything on this site. You do know that Mosaic's density and proximity to Dunn Loring are unique? This isn't just a project designed to slight Mason; it is based on need. And finally, you want a driverless vehicle from where in Madon to Ballston metro?
Remember your last computer crash, then think how much fun it will be to be in a bus controlled by a computer — waiting for the inevitable.
No one tell this guy that computer land thousands of commercial airline flights every day.
This dude must live in the spanky part of town and has a chauffer. Compters rule the world my friend.
This is Freaking me Out!
Once again we are overlooked. Rt. 7 and 50 are heavily used. Why not test our area and get people to East Falls Church metro. That is the one closest to us.