Background:
History: In summer 2017, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) entered into an agreement (MnDOT Contract # 1028265) with EasyMile, Inc. to lease an autonomous shuttle bus (referred to as EZ10) for testing and demonstrating in winter weather climates in Minnesota from November 2017 through March 2018.
The EZ10 is all-electric powered, operates at speeds less than 25 miles per hour, and can accommodate up to 12 passengers. The shuttle meets the accessibility standards established by the Americans with Disabilities Act and is classified as a Level 4 autonomous vehicle by the Society of Automotive Engineers. This means the vehicle is capable of performing all driving functions under certain conditions and a human operator has the option to take over control of the vehicle. The EZ10 shuttle has transported over 230,000 people in 20 countries on four continents and logged over 75,000 operating miles without any major safety incidents.
MnDOT has been testing the EZ10 shuttle in harsh winter conditions at the MnROAD facility in Albertville and provided opportunities for the public to ride the shuttle from January 26 through January 28 on Nicollet Mall between Third and Fourth Streets in downtown Minneapolis.
MnDOT has offered other units of government the opportunity to operate the shuttle at other sites in Minnesota. The county is interested in studying the feasibility of using an autonomous shuttle within the county to connect our major transitways. The first and last miles use case is being demonstrated by Contra Costa County in California at the GoMemtum Station in Concord, which is also utilizing the EZ10 shuttle to connect Bishop Ranch, a major employment center, to the nearest Bay Area Rapid Transit station.
A team of county staff has analyzed over eight potential demonstration sites to test the first and last mile transit connection use case. The recommended demonstration site is a two to three block segment of the Midtown Greenway between Hennepin Avenue and Dupont Avenue. Staff will organize and coordinate a stakeholder working group to plan and carry out the demonstration. A human operator will be present at all times during the demonstration.
Current Request: This request is to negotiate an agreement with MnDOT to leverage MnDOT’s existing contract with EasyMile, Inc., from the date of execution through December 31, 2018, for an amount not to exceed $50,000. The county will test, demonstrate, and evaluate the use the an autonomous shuttle to support a community-based, micro-transit option that provides first and last miles connection to major transitways. The county will pay to transport the EZ10 shuttle to the demonstration site; map the route; and set up, operate, store, and evaluate the shuttle.
Impact/Outcomes: The agreement will allow the county to assess how new autonomous vehicle technology can be used to enhance and support the county’s transitway investments.