U.S. halts autonomous shuttle service in 17 cities
The U.S. government’s highway safety agency has ordered an autonomous shuttle company to stop carrying passengers on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus in Golden and many other U.S. cities after a mysterious braking problem occurred in Columbus, Ohio.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the suspension will remain in place while it examines safety issues with the low-speed shuttles operated by France-based EasyMile, which has its U.S. headquarters in Denver.
To operate without a steering wheel and brake pedals, the imported shuttles need the agency to grant an exemption from federal motor vehicle safety standards.
The 12- to 15-passenger shuttles were halted in Columbus and Golden as well as in Dover, Del.; West Valley City, Park City, Farmington and Salt Lake City, Utah; Dallas, Houston and Corpus Christi, Texas; Dublin, Calif.; Raleigh, N.C.; Gainesville, Fla.; Fairfax, Arlington and Blacksburg, Va.; and Basking Ridge, N.J.
The agency made the move after an EasyMile shuttle in Columbus braked suddenly, causing a passenger to fall from a seat and suffer a minor injury.
“NHTSA will continue to work with all affected parties, including EasyMile and local authorities, to evaluate potential future vehicle operations, consistent with applicable legal requirements and public safety,” the agency said in a statement.
Low-speed shuttles generally run 25 mph or less and are restricted to small geo
graphic areas. The EasyMile shuttles have a human attendant on board to handle unexpected problems.
EasyMile said in a statement that its shuttle in Columbus was traveling 7.1 miles per hour when it made an emergency stop as it is programmed to do, but it is unclear what triggered the emergency stop. The company said it is running test loops to analyze the suddenness of the stop.
The statement said the NHTSA is still allowing EasyMile vehicles on the road in 10 states for testing.
Sharad Agarwal, EasyMile senior vice president in Denver, said the company is investigating why the shuttle computer decided to stop. The shuttles are programmed to stop if they detect any kind of problem, he said.
“We’d be more concerned if it didn’t stop,” Agarwal said.
Earlier this month, the NHTSA granted Silicon Valley robotics company Nuro temporary approval to run autonomous delivery vehicles on public roads for the first time without human occupants. Those vehicles also had to get an exemption from federal safety standards.