A driverless shuttle bus has crashed less than two hours after it launched in Las Vegas, after it stopped to avoid a collision and was ‘grazed’ by a delivery truck.
Police say no injuries were reported crash between the self-operating vehicle and a semi-truck.
According to Las Vegas officials, the self-driving shuttle did ‘what it was supposed to do’ in efforts to avoid the accident after its sensors detected the oncoming threat – but, while the shuttle stopped, the delivery truck did not.
A driverless shuttle bus has crashed less than two hours after it launched in Las Vegas, after it stopped to avoid a collision and was ‘grazed’ by a delivery truck. Police say no injuries were reported crash between the self-operating vehicle and a semi-truck.
Officials had hosted an unveiling ceremony just hours earlier to promote the program.
On Twitter, the City of Las Vegas wrote this morning: ‘”Look Ma, no driver!” We’re launching the nation’s first self-driving shuttle geared for the public in #DTLV at 10am!’
The oval-shaped NAVYA Arma fully electric shuttle can transport up to 12 passengers.
It has an attendant and computer monitor, but no steering wheel and no brake pedals.
It uses GPS, electronic curb sensors and other technology to make its way.
Before it crashed, dozens of people had lined up in downtown Las Vegas to get a free ride.
Police say the crash blocked traffic near the Fremont Street entertainment district.
The city, along with AAA and partners Keolis, have been hyping up the launch of the autonomous shuttle program all day, promising free rides to willing participants
Officials had hosted an unveiling ceremony just hours earlier to promote the program
There were no injuries reported in the accident, and officials says the vehicle performed as it was designed to in the face of an impending threat.
‘The autonomous shuttle was testing today when it was grazed by a delivery truck downtown,’ according to the official blog of the City of Las Vegas.
‘The shuttle did what it was supposed to do, in that it’s [sic] sensors registered the truck and the shuttle stopped to avoid the accident. Unfortunately, the delivery truck did not stop and grazed the front fender of the shuttle.
‘Had the truck had the same sensing equipment that the shuttle has the accident would have been avoided.’
The oval-shaped NAVYA Arma fully electric shuttle can transport up to 12 passengers. It has an attendant and computer monitor, but no steering wheel and no brake pedals
While the shuttle will remain out of service for the rest of the day, the tests will continue for the duration of the 12-month pilot in the downtown Innovation District, officials say.
The city, along with AAA and partners Keolis, have been hyping up the launch of the autonomous shuttle program all day, promising free rides to willing participants.
Just hours before the crash, the City of Las Vegas Twitter account tweeted: ‘Getting revved up for the launch of the new autonomous vehicle hitting the streets of [downtown Las Vegas]’.
The account also tweeted: ‘We are at the forefront of technology.’