# Florida town is first in the world to test autonomous school shuttles



## jocker12 (May 11, 2017)

The southwestern Florida town of Babcock Ranch bills itself as the nation's first solar-powered town. Now, it can add another big high-tech notch to its belt: The first city to test autonomously driving school shuttle buses.

This fall, the planned community has partnered with Transdev to launch a pilot program for self-driving shuttle buses that can transport up to 12 children at a time.
Like other autonomous shuttles that are popping up across the country, the EasyMile Easy10 Gen II is pod-like vehicle that runs on electricity. The yellow shuttle bus will follow a predetermined path, scooping up children from a designated pick-up area and dropping them off in front of the school. Though the goal is to eventually allow on-demand, door-to-door pickup through an app.










Though the pilot program will be tightly controlled, it's still a wild idea, and one that naturally raises the question: Does a school bus really need to be the testing ground for new and still relatively unproven technology? The answer is probably not. But Transdev says to start, the shuttles will reach turtle-level cruising speed of 8 mph (eventually working its way up to 30 mph), and will have automatic breaking and a safety assistant on board.

https://www.curbed.com/2018/9/19/17877120/autonomous-school-shuttles-transdev-babock-ranch


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

jocker12 said:


> The southwestern Florida town of Babcock Ranch bills itself as the nation's first solar-powered town. Now, it can add another big high-tech notch to its belt: The first city to test autonomously driving school shuttle buses.
> 
> This fall, the planned community has partnered with Transdev to launch a pilot program for self-driving shuttle buses that can transport up to 12 children at a time.
> Like other autonomous shuttles that are popping up across the country, the EasyMile Easy10 Gen II is pod-like vehicle that runs on electricity. The yellow shuttle bus will follow a predetermined path, scooping up children from a designated pick-up area and dropping them off in front of the school. Though the goal is to eventually allow on-demand, door-to-door pickup through an app.
> ...


Safety assistant??!! Why not have a real bus with a real driver?


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## jocker12 (May 11, 2017)

goneubering said:


> Safety assistant??!! Why not have a real bus with a real driver?


Because the technology is safe that, if something goes wrong (God forbid) the developers need to blame it on a human, other than themselves.

I see either huge disappointment with technology's general performance or a tragedy. The kids will hate the shuttles for the first one, while the parents will go crazy because of the second.

Just wait for the first hurricane to hit Florida and have the children and the parents dismiss the robots.


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## Aardvark (Sep 18, 2018)

jocker12 said:


> The kids will hate the shuttles for the first one


Mom, kids are making fun of me because I'm still on the old school buses. How come I don't get the new cool buses?
Tommy, because we're poor.


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## jocker12 (May 11, 2017)

Aardvark said:


> Mom, kids are making fun of me because I'm still on the old school buses. How come I don't get the new cool buses?
> Tommy, because we're poor.


I am sure the company running the pilot is begging for as many children as possible, in order to justify its existence.

This is not a matter of income, is a matter of performance, and the robots, at 8 mph cruising speed, are going to be laughable. And that is exactly what teenagers like, to be mocked and laughed about.


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## Aardvark (Sep 18, 2018)

jocker12 said:


> I am sure the company running the pilot is begging for as many children as possible, in order to justify its existence.
> 
> This is not a matter of income, is a matter of performance, and the robots, at 8 mph cruising speed, are going to be laughable. And that is exactly what teenagers like, to be mocked and laughed about.


8 miles an hour during testing. 30 mph when fully operational. In Jr High the bus stop was 2 miles away, I'd have killed for a six person shuttle that'd pick me up and drop me off in front of my house.


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## jocker12 (May 11, 2017)

This is what they say


> *eventually* working its way up to 30 mph


This is your imagination


Aardvark said:


> 30 mph when fully operational


Their travel time to school it will get at least 3 times longer, so they'll wake up way earlier and get home way later. They'll totally love it....

One simple rain and they could be stopped in the middle of nowhere, including the miracle super hero "safety assistant" (they call it safety probably because they have to wear hard hats and yellow reflective vests).. The parents will love to go crazy every time it rains in Babcock Ranch, FL.

Your experience has no relevance. You only signed up yesterday, went straight to this section (like you are on a mision) and made 4 posts since.









A year ago I remember someone we both probably know, said "This is not how you gonna be a well known member". Do we know who that user was?


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## Aardvark (Sep 18, 2018)

jocker12 said:


> This is what they say
> 
> This is your imagination
> 
> ...


That's why it's a risky business venture for a company like this. The leaders in the self driving race don't have the limitations this company has. Their only hope is that the leaders cede this segment of the market because they have bigger fish to fry. My experience has no relevance because I only signed up yesterday? Does all knowledge regarding autonomous vehicles reside on this website?


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## Texie Driver (Sep 5, 2018)

are the kids required to wear seatbelts, ear muffs, and blindfolds while riding?
if not,
sure hope a pedestrian wheeling a bike doesn't walk out in front of one.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

As we all know, these cars won't drive themselves. The driver will do all the driving and they will still call it self-driving. 

Same story over and over again.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

jocker12 said:


> Because the technology is safe that, if something goes wrong (God forbid) the developers need to blame it on a human, other than themselves.
> 
> I see either huge disappointment with technology's general performance or a tragedy. The kids will hate the shuttles for the first one, while the parents will go crazy because of the second.
> 
> Just wait for the first hurricane to hit Florida and have the children and the parents dismiss the robots.





goneubering said:


> Safety assistant??!! Why not have a real bus with a real driver?


Stick 12 kids in a vehicle and you need a baby sitter, even if the vehicle works perfectly

Mr. Unicorn jimmy pulled my hair.

Mr. Unicorn Joey stole my juice box

Mr. Unicorn Marks Juice box is grape, i'm allergic to grape...


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

jocker12 said:


> Because the technology is safe that, if something goes wrong (God forbid) the developers need to blame it on a human, other than themselves.
> 
> I see either huge disappointment with technology's general performance or a tragedy. The kids will hate the shuttles for the first one, while the parents will go crazy because of the second.
> 
> Just wait for the first hurricane to hit Florida and have the children and the parents dismiss the robots.


Thankfully wiser people got involved to stop this craziness.


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