- WE MOVE NOW FROM POLITICS TO SCIENCE NEWS AND A LOOK AHEAD,
WAY AHEAD TO THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION.
THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON BROUGHT A
DRIVERLESS SHUTTLE TO CAMPUS THIS WEEK TO GIVE THE PUBLIC A
DEMONSTRATION.
MARISA WOJCIK CAUGHT UP WITH THE SHUTTLE AND SPOKE WITH THE 3R0
PROJECT'S LEADERS.
- BY NOW MOST OF US HAVE SEEN DRIVERLESS VEHICLES IN THE NEWS,
BUT NOT MANY OF US HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE ONE IN PERSON.
STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAD A CHANCE TO SEE AN AUTONOM
SHUTTLE FROM NAVYA, A 15-PASSENGER DRIVERLESS SHUTTLE.
THE DEMONSTRATION WAS MEANT TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT DRIVERLESS
VEHICLES ARE NOT SO SCARY.
- OUTREACH IS SOMETHING THAT IS CRITICAL WITH AUTONOMOUS
VEHICLES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IF THEY ASK YOU WHAT THEY ARE,
THEY HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
- UW-MADISON'S COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING WAS ONE OF TEN IN
THE COUNTRY TO BE FEDERALLY DESIGNATED AS AN AUTOMATED
VEHICLE PROVING GROUNDS.
SOME GOT TO SEE THE SHUTTLE DRIVE ITSELF.
BUT ON ITS SECOND DAY ON THE ROAD, IT REQUIRED A PIT STOP.
- WE SHALL YOU ABLE TO OPERATE
SHUTTLE THIS MORNING.
THIS AFTERNOON UNFORTUNATELY THE SHUTTLE WAS NOT ABLE TO OPERATE.
- THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED TO STOP OPERATING WHEN THESE ISSUES
OCCUR.
FOR NOW, FEDERAL REGULATIONS REQUIRE AN OPERATOR TO BE
ONBOARD AT ALL TIMES.
- POP THIS DOWN.
- BUT MANUFACTURERS ARE ALREADY PLANNING FOR A DIFFERENT
SCENARIO.
- SO WE REALLY DESIGNED THESE VEHICLES TO BE READY FOR THE
TIME WHEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY OPERATORS ON
ONBOARD E SHUTTLE.
- WHICH INCLUDES USING A XBOX CONTROLLER TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE
IN THE EVENT THAT IT CAN'T DRIVE ITSELF.
THE TRAFFIC OPERATIONS AND SAFETY LABORATORY IS NOT ONLY
RESEARCHING THE ENGINEERING ASPECTS, BUT OTHER AREAS, LIKE
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS, PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE AND URBAN PLANNING.
- IT'S REALLY CAMPUS-WIDE AND IT'S TRYING TO BRING TOGETHER A
COMMUNITY OF RESEARCHERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN DIFFERENT
PROBLEMS.
- PROBLEMS LIKE URBAN FOOD DESERTS, WHERE THE METRO SERVICE
LINES DON'T REACH A CERTAIN AREA.
OR FOR KATHERINE CORBETT, WHO IS BLIND, IT MEANS MORE
INDEPENDENCE IN TRANSPORTATION.
- IN A LOT OF LITERATURE, THE FUTURE HAS BEEN -- PREDICTIONS
HAVE BEEN MADE ABOUT AUTOMATED VEHICLES AND SELF-DRIVING CARS.
AS A PERSON WHO DOESN'T DRIVE, THAT'S ALWAYS KIND OF BEEN
A DREAM OF MINE.
- FOR DRIVERLESS VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, THE FUTURE IS NOW.
- THAT WAS MARISA WOJCIK REPORTING.