Skip to main content

Dutch municipality to deploy driverless shuttle on public roads

The municipality of Ooststellingwerf in the northern Netherlands is taking part in a three-month self-driving vehicle pilot project, which will see two shuttle vehicles travel from the Netherlands National Forest Service visitor centre to Wester Es in Appelscha, a distance of 1.55 miles. The driverless EZ10 shuttles, developed by Easymile, are autonomous electric vehicles without steering wheel or pedals; a ‘driver’ travels with the vehicle to stop it in the event of an emergency. The shuttles servic
July 7, 2016 Read time: 1 min
The municipality of Ooststellingwerf in the northern Netherlands is taking part in a three-month self-driving vehicle pilot project, which will see two shuttle vehicles travel from the Netherlands National Forest Service visitor centre to Wester Es in Appelscha, a distance of 1.55 miles.

The driverless EZ10 shuttles, developed by 8246 Easymile, are autonomous electric vehicles without steering wheel or pedals; a ‘driver’ travels with the vehicle to stop it in the event of an emergency.

The shuttles service run on virtual tracks that can be easily configured to accommodate sudden shifts in demand. It uses cameras, lasers and GPS to detect other vehicles and pedestrians and adjusts its trajectory and speed to avoid a collision.

For the pilot, the shuttle, which seats 10 people and it has a maximum speed of a little less than 10 miles per hour, will operate during daylight and under favourable conditions.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Introducing the camera that can see round corners
    June 26, 2015
    Ford is introducing a new camera technology that can see around corners, even when drivers cannot, in a bid to alleviate the problems involved with exiting blind junctions and help avert accidents. The innovative Front Split View Camera, now available as an option in the all-new Ford S-MAX and Galaxy, displays to the driver a 180-degree view from the front of the car, using a video camera in the grille. At a blind junction or exiting a driveway, the camera enables drivers to easily spot approaching vehic
  • Vancouver's metro transport promotes alternatives to driving
    January 26, 2012
    David Crawford looks at Vancouver and the legacy of a Olympic transport success
  • Oregon trials road user charging
    February 11, 2013
    In Oregon, gas-tax money funds about 58 per cent of the budget used to take care of the state’s roads. As vehicles become more fuel efficient, the gas tax, which is 30 cents a gallon in Oregon and 37 cents in Washington, will generate less and less money. “If we’re using gasoline and diesel sales to fund our transportation system, we’re going to be in big trouble,” said Patrick Cooney of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Recognizing the problem early, Oregon started studying alternatives to th
  • ITS asset management matters
    April 26, 2013
    Maintenance of on-road ITS kit needs to become more sophisticated; while new technologies can deliver better road maintenance. David Crawford investigates both sides of the issue "Good information is key to effective ITS asset maintenance,” says Ian Routledge of the Ian Routledge Consultancy (IRC), whose Imtrac (Information Management for TRAffic Control) system is poised for European expansion. Developed as an ‘intelligent filing cabinet’ for storing information about on-road equipment, the online database