# Self-driving school bus project shut down by the government The project was ‘unlawful,’



## jocker12 (May 11, 2017)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shut down a self-driving school bus project in Florida, calling it "unlawful." It's one of the most forceful interventions by the Department of Transportation in the early days of autonomous vehicles. The news was first reported by Jalopnik.

The North American arm of international transportation company Transdev was using one of its pod-like electric autonomous shuttles - called the EasyMile Easy10 Gen II - to carry up to 12 school children at a time. The test was taking place in Babcock Ranch, a tech-forward community in Florida that claims to be the country's first solar-powered town. A spokesperson for Transdev could not be reached for comment

Transdev was granted permission in March to import the shuttle for "testing and demonstration purposes," according to the NHTSA. It has also operated autonomous shuttles in Babcock Ranch since the beginning of the year. But the government says Transdev never mentioned plans to use the shuttle as a school bus, though the company widely promoted the effort. "School buses are subject to rigorous Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that take into account their unique purpose of transporting children, a vulnerable population," the agency writes.

Transdev's early version of the pilot program had the shuttle pick up kids at a designated area and drop them off at school, all while traveling at around eight miles per hour (with a safety supervisor on board). Ultimately, according to Transdev, the goal was to make the service more demand-responsive, offering door-to-door rides via an app.

The intervention from the NHTSA is one of the first we've seen from the agency, which has taken a fairly hands-off approach to regulating the development and testing of self-driving veh dating back to the Obama administration.

"Innovation must not come at the risk of public safety," Heidi King, deputy administrator of the NHTSA, said in a statement. "Using a non-compliant test vehicle to transport children is irresponsible, inappropriate, and in direct violation of the terms of Transdev's approved test project."

Lisa Hall, a spokesperson for Babcock Ranch, said in a statement to The Verge that students have only been able to ride the shuttle on specific days. Otherwise, they walk or ride bikes to school.

"They will be disappointed as they have enjoyed being 'pioneers' of this new technology, and I am sure look forward, as we do, to resolving any concerns or misunderstandings about this project," Hall says. "The shuttle is being piloted as public transportation offered by the community for the convenience of our residents. Safety has been and continues to be our top priority."

https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/22/18008828/self-driving-school-bus-nhtsa-transdev-stopped


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

lol ya im sure everyone loves riding in a car at only 8 miles per hour

pioneers lol


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Oh its ok to do experimentation and testing in and on the POOR UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC AT LARGE !

But not the CHILDREN !

Good to see the Line Drawn against these EVIL TRANSHUMANIST SATANIST MONSTERS !

We WILL NOT ALLOW OUR CHILDREN TO BE VICTIMIZED BY CORPORATE GREED BY THESE UNSAFE PRODUCT TESTINGS AND EXPERIMENTATION !

Time to take back more ground in the interest of Public Safety !

" INNOVATION MUST NOT COME AT THE RISK OF PUBLIC SAFETY"- Heidi King
Deputy Administrator of the N.H.T.S.A.

"This Action Irresponsible, Inappropriate, and IN DIRECT VIOLATION of Transdevs test project "!

Fine them and revoke their permits !


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## jocker12 (May 11, 2017)

uberdriverfornow said:


> lol ya im sure everyone loves riding in a car at only 8 miles per hour
> 
> pioneers lol


These "brilliant" developers keep cutting corners Travis Kalanick style.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

jocker12 said:


> These "brilliant" developers keep cutting corners Travis Kalanick style.


The should be JAILED !

Criminals PURE & SIMPLE !


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

jocker12 said:


> The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shut down a self-driving school bus project in Florida, calling it "unlawful." It's one of the most forceful interventions by the Department of Transportation in the early days of autonomous vehicles. The news was first reported by Jalopnik.
> 
> The North American arm of international transportation company Transdev was using one of its pod-like electric autonomous shuttles - called the EasyMile Easy10 Gen II - to carry up to 12 school children at a time. The test was taking place in Babcock Ranch, a tech-forward community in Florida that claims to be the country's first solar-powered town. A spokesperson for Transdev could not be reached for comment
> 
> ...


Good!! They need to keep an eye on the entire SDC industry.


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## jocker12 (May 11, 2017)

goneubering said:


> Good!! They need to keep an eye on the entire SDC industry.


Government wants children to be healthy and ride their bikes instead of riding a death trap.


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## LuisEnrikee (Mar 31, 2016)

Transdev better watch out. They are contractors in my city running the city buses. As soon as the drivers hear about it they will freak.


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## Mile HighMile645! (Oct 1, 2018)

More red tape please


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