During CES 2019 in Las Vegas, Transdev and Torc Robotics announced that they will work together on a fully autonomous shuttle platform, as the companies believe that shuttles and smaller vehicles will provide complementary mobility to existing public transportation networks across the globe.

Transdev and Torc will integrate Torc’s L4 Asimov self-driving software into the embedded intelligence system of the i-Cristal autonomous shuttle, which was unveiled in September 2018 by Transdev and French industrial company Lohr.

Torc is licensing its Asimov self-driving software stack and sensor suite architecture for the iCristal autonomous shuttle, while Transdev, through its global Autonomous Transport System (ATS by Transdev), will provide its supervision system, connected infrastructure and client application, and embedded technology.

“At Transdev, we believe the future of mobility is increasingly P.A.C.E.: Personalized, Autonomous, Connected and Eco-Friendly,” explains Yann Leriche, Transdev’s North America CEO and head of autonomous transportation systems.

“We believe that public transport will lead and be the first place real autonomous services will be developed. With Torc’s expertise in autonomous technology, we will accelerate our capability to develop innovative solutions.”

Considered SAE Level 4 (fully-autonomous in select areas), the Transdev/Lohr i-Cristal electric shuttles operate without a steering wheel or pedals. The companies say that by equipping the shuttles with the latest technology, the shuttles will be able to seamlessly blend into urban traffic while maintaining the highest safety standards at speeds of up to 19 miles per hour.

With a maximum capacity of 16 passengers, and designed for ease of access, interior design, and passenger experience, the shuttles have already started being tested on closed courses. Testing on public roads will begin once successive safety authorizations are obtained, and before public service trials in France’s Paris-Saclay and Rouen begin.

Ultimately, the goal is to integrate fleets of the autonomous shuttles into existing Transdev public transportation networks as a complement to extend the geographical coverage or time schedule.

“We are committed to testing out new kinds of mobility and giving our customers the best possible solutions to meet their travel needs,” Leriche says. “With autonomous transport services, we aim to develop flexible, clean and accessible mobility solutions to empower passengers to move freely.”