ADASTEC, an Ann Arbor-based automated driving solution company, announced the deployment of the first Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant automated bus at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBDNL).
This initiative, in partnership with Vicinity Motor Corp. and ARIBO, is part of the National Park Service (NPS) Mobility Challenge Program, which aims to develop sustainable mobility solutions for national parks.
“It’s a fun project to have coming to the park. This project tests new technology for an automated, driver-less electric bus,” SBDNL Superintendent Scott Tucker said.
Beginning mid-August, SBDNL visitors can reserve a ride at no cost, though a valid park entrance pass is required.
The automated, electric, low-floor, accessible transit bus, funded through an NPS Mobility Challenge Program grant, was announced by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist at an event July 29.
The bus will transport passengers along the scenic 7.4-mile Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at SBDNL. Tucker mentioned that the research project will have limited space for visitors to ride, and Pierce Stocking’s closed loop provided an ideal testing ground for this new technology, according to Tucker. SBDNL has never had public transit, but this automated bus is being tested with the hope of implementation in larger national parks with public transit systems, such as Yosemite, Zion, and Glacier National Parks, to name a few.
“They will be putting the bus in a very dynamic atmosphere to see how it functions ... Folks on the bus can get off and have a time to report back to the bus,” Tucker said.
Supported by the State of Michigan, this deployment aims to evaluate advanced automated bus technology in an outdoor recreational environment.
The automated bus will still have a safety driver for the service that will run along the 7.4mile scenic drive five days a week with approximately four round trips daily.
The 45-day pilot will operate from mid-August through late September. As a research demonstration project, service details may be adjusted weekly. The bus will stop at Dune Plateau Overlook, Lake Michigan Overlook, and North Bar Lake Overlook. Visitors can register at: https://www. adastec. com/ sleeping- beardunes- automated- bus- service. Available days and times are listed on the website.
“Our mission at ADASTEC is to solve modern city mobility problems with automated public transportation. This project highlights our focus on providing clean, 24/7 available, accessible, sustainable transportation for all,” said ADASTEC CEO Ali Peker.
