Commercial electric vehicle supplier Vicinity Motor Corp. will publicly deploy the first Vicinity Autonomous Lightning Electric Transit Bus in partnership with automated driving software platform provider ADASTEC Corp. at Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, beginning service Wednesday, August 14, 2024.
This deployment was declared by Michigan Lieutenant Gov. Garlin Gilchrist during a launch event at the Michigan State Capitol. Through a National Park Service Mobility Challenge Program grant, ADASTEC and Vicinity will deploy an automated, electric low-floor, accessible transit bus that will transport passengers along a 4.1-mile route on Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
The deployment — supported by federal funding — aims to study how the next generation of automated bus technology performs in an outdoor recreational setting. The vehicle will be available for public use and is free to riders with a seven-day, annual or lifetime NPS pass during its deployment period.
The partnership brings together Vicinity’s expertise in medium-duty, accessible, fully electrified low-floor transit vehicles with ADASTEC’s SAE Level-4 automated driving software platform, flowride.ai. Vicinity automated transit buses can respond in real-time to changing passenger demands, with capabilities such as flexible routing and dynamic scheduling. This initial deployment aims to demonstrate how automated, electric transit buses can enhance traffic safety and reduce congestion in areas with high visitation rates.
“We at Vicinity Motor are absolutely thrilled to have an Autonomous Vicinity Lightning bus in federally funded service at such a prominent site, representing what we believe could be the future of public transportation in time,” says Brent Phillips, president of Vicinity. “I would like to thank our valued automation partners at ADASTEC, whose advanced automated driving software platform makes our first SAE Level-4 automated bus deployments such as this possible.”
“We are proud to partner with Vicinity Motor Corp. and the National Park Service to deploy our SAE Level-4 automated driving software, flowride.ai, at the iconic Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore,” adds Dr. Ali Peker, CEO of ADASTEC. “The first automated bus compliant with FMVSS regulations, this deployment aims to showcase how automated transit can enhance safety, efficiency and environmental sustainability in public transportation.”