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First on-demand self-driving service scheduled for Texas

Posted: 8 May 2018 | | No comments yet

Drive.ai, the City of Frisco and local partners will launch a milestone programme, providing the public with access to an on-demand self-driving car service on public roads for the first time…

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Drive.ai has announced a pilot programme in Texas, working in cooperation with the Frisco Transportation Management Association (TMA), to offer rides to over 10,000 people in self-driving vehicles within a geofenced area. 

The Frisco TMA includes the City of Frisco, HALL Group, Frisco Station Partners, The Star and the Denton County Transportation Authority. The initial pilot will run for six months, beginning with fixed pick-up and drop-off locations around HALL Park and The Star, with planned expansion into Frisco Station.

Leading up to the launch date of July, office employees, residents and patrons of the companies will gradually gain access to Drive.ai’s ride-hailing app. Once the programme is live, users can hail on-demand rides in self-driving cars that connect to popular destinations through the app.

Frisco Mayor, Jeff Cheney, said: “The autonomous vehicles will help people get around one of our most vibrant, commercial areas along Frisco’s ‘North Platinum Corridor.’ We applaud the collaboration of the Denton County Transportation Authority, as well as our private partners at HALL Park, Frisco Station and The Star, which gave the green light, so to speak, to this pioneering pilot programme. Today gets us closer to achieving one of our council’s ‘Top Ten’ goals, which is to improve traffic throughout Frisco.”    

Also in the build up to the launch, members of the community will be educated on the self-driving programme, informative signage will be placed throughout the route and the vehicles painted a highly-visible orange with four external screens that communicate the intended actions to pedestrians and other drivers.

“Self-driving cars are here and can improve the way we live right now,” said Sameep Tandon, co-Founder and CEO of Drive.ai. “Our technology is safe, smart and adaptive, and we are ready to work with governments and businesses to solve their transportation needs.”