Global technology company 2getthere has revealed that its autonomous ParkShuttle vehicle will be introduced on public roads in the city of Capelle aan den Ijssel, Netherlands, without safety drivers or stewards.

This latest initiative follows the first autonomous vehicle pilot in Schiphol Airport in 1997, the first urban autonomous vehicle application Capelle aan den Ijssel in 1999, the mixed traffic demonstration with an autonomous vehicle in Delft in 2004, as well as the Personal Rapid Transit system at Masdar City in 2010.

The Metropolitan region Rotterdam The Hague (MRDH) intended to extend the current operating concession of Connexxion through 2018 in November last year.

The city of Capelle aan den Ijssel and 2getthere had already expressed their intention to renew the system at that time, in addition to extending the route using existing public roads.

This ambition has now been set in motion with an investment of €4.25m on behalf of the ‘Verkeersonderneming Rotterdam’, a public-private-partnership between the city of Rotterdam, MRDH, the ministry of Infrastructure and the Port of Rotterdam.

2getthere COO Robbert Lohmann said: “Rivium is the only truly autonomous system operating at grade today. With the steps now taken, it will become the first autonomous system to mix with other traffic on public roads without safety driver or steward as well.

“This is a major step, as we are delivering an application rather than a demonstration and are skipping the stage in which a steward is still required in every vehicle.

“Having over 12 years of experience with truly autonomous operations, it wouldn’t make sense to have to reintroduce a person on each vehicle like the various demonstrations now feature.

"This is a major step, as we are delivering an application rather than a demonstration and skipping the stage in which a steward is required in every vehicle."

“The investment made now shows the ambition and leading role of the region and the city, as well as the competitive edge 2getthere has over start-up companies trying to develop concepts they hope will eventually have similar capabilities.”

The investment is reported to be part of a regional investment program by the Metropolitan region.

Capelle aan den IJssel and 2getthere will complete the provisional investment with ‘de Verkeersonderneming Rotterdam’ later this week and work out the detailed agreement, with the first work expected to commence later this year.

ParkShuttle transport links are currently used by nearly 2,400 passengers on a daily basis.

Image: ParkShuttle to be launched on Netherlands public roads in 2018. Photo: courtesy of 2getthere.