The First Autonomous Electric Shuttles Arrive In Quebec

Keolis Canada and NAVYA to demonstrate their autonomous shuttles at the UITP Summit in Montreal

Keolis Canada and NAVYA announce that they will officially present their autonomous electric shuttle project at the UITP Global Public Transit Summit, one of the largest public transit events in the world, being held in Montreal 15 to 17 May. In September 2016, in Lyon, France, Keolis launched experimental testing of NAVLY, the world's first public transport service using autonomous electric shuttles. Since then, it has tested a number of other autonomous shuttle projects in major cities, including Las Vegas in January.

"This is a great progress for us, as we have been evaluating the Quebec market for some time. The UITP Summit is the perfect venue at which to present the product, which offers a solution for the initial and final stages of a trip. Keolis will also play a visible role at the Summit. We believe that electric vehicles represent the future of public transit, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to test this new autonomous vehicle here as a Canadian first. The enthusiasm for the project is already contagious," said Patrick Gilloux, President and Chief Operating Officer of Keolis Canada.

"We know there is keen interest in Quebec for innovative mobility solutions such as autonomous electric shuttles," stated Christophe Sapet, CEO of NAVYA. "We are pleased to have deployed more than 35 vehicles to date and transported more than 130,000 passengers world-wide, and Canada is an important step ahead in our international development. We look forward to the Montreal demonstration of this product, which is a viable response to the problems faced by cities today: congestion, pollution and parking."

"Montreal is actively preparing for the emergence of autonomous and electric vehicles. The new institute to study and promote electrification and intelligent transportation will draw on Montreal's many assets as a city of innovation. We have what it takes to become a global leader in the mobility of tomorrow, and I applaud the contribution of Keolis Canada and NAVYA in this field," stated Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal.

The autonomous electric shuttle

Environmentally-friendly and providing flexibility in its management, the autonomous shuttle enables communities to better adapt their transit offering to the needs of citizens while controlling the impact on infrastructure and reducing traffic and pollution. With a capacity of 15 passengers, it also facilitates the transportation of personnel, visitors or service agents on private sites, improves access and mobility, and optimises employee work time. Ideal for urban areas, airports, industrial sites, amusement parks, hotel complexes and hospitals, it has been designed to help organisations and businesses improve performance by streamlining the flow of movement.