You’ve probably heard that self-driving cars are the future. The argument is that it will be a safer and more efficient way to travel. Imagine reduced traffic, higher speed limits, and lower fuel consumption. Even road rage will be a thing of the past. Although this future sounds promising, we aren’t quite there yet. But it doesn’t mean we haven’t been making extraordinary strides towards the effort – right here in Ottawa.
This past week, a driverless shuttle, which resembles a mini O.C. Transpo bus, was being tested at Tunney’s Pasture. The project was launched by Area X.O., a venture led by Invest Ottawa, in partnership with Transport Canada, the City of Ottawa, and Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation. The 10-day trial was the first of its kind to take place in Ontario.
The Minister of Infrastructure, Laurie Scott, MP Catherine McKenna, and Mayor Jim Watson took part in the trail, which was broadcast live on Invest Ottawa’s Facebook page. Unfortunately, the trial was not open to the public due to COVID-19, and only employees at Tunney’s Pasture and groups involved with the project were allowed to ride it.
We spoke with one of the lucky few who had the chance to test it out, “The ride was around 10 minutes, and the experience was good. It was cool to see how much technology has advanced.” said Aqsa, a 27-year-old Ottawa resident. “It was a short and slow ride, and they had multiple stops. A person also rode with us and answered any questions we had. The shuttle inside was very comfortable too. Overall, a fun experience.”
Picture courtesy of Aqsa Anjum.
The shuttle followed a pre-programmed 1.5-kilometer route with four stops and traveled up to 25 km/hr. The trial will help determine how the shuttle operates in real road conditions. However, it remains to be seen how the bus will fare during the Canadian winter months. But industry leaders are hopeful that this trial will cement Ottawa as one of the hot spots for R&D and self-driving vehicle technology. While we, the general public, will probably have to wait for another 20 years before any driverless cars will be deemed road-ready.