Beaumont, CA is piloting AVs
Following successful demonstrations in Calgary and Edmonton, Electric Autonomous shuttle (ELA), manufactured by EasyMile, began its longest pilot in the city of Beaumont, a suburb of Edmonton. This 6-month pilot is the first time ELA is integrated on a public roadway and in mixed traffic. An initial 1.3 km loop was later extended to 1.7 km. ELA operates 5 days of the week (Thursday through Monday), and served over 6,200 passengers, traveling some 2,000 km since April 2019.
ELA was developed as one initiative under the city’s larger Economic Development Framework that hopes to attract investment, industry, and jobs to the city. City Council approved a $200,000 budget for this “strategic economic development investment initiative” with shuttle operator Pacific Western Transportation.
Further Reading
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