If you haven’t already heard, there was an autonomous shuttle bus service at the Yellowstone National Park. Beep AV Solutions, a multi-passenger, electric autonomous mobility solutions provider, was selected to take part in the park’s first-ever autonomous shuttle program known as T.E.D.D.Y. T.E.D.D.Y. is an acronym for The Electric Driverless Demonstration in Yellowstone.
The pilot program was conducted by Beep and Local Motors – the maker of Olli autonomous bus – to study the feasibility and sustainability of autonomous mobility in a national park. Two low-speed, electric automated shuttles for the pilot program, which ran from June 09 through to August 31.
During the pilot program, the two shuttles offered free rides within the Canyon Village campground, visitor services, and adjoining visitor lodging area. In the two months plus trial, T.E.D.D.Y. was used by 10,000 passengers and transported an equivalent of 4,000 vehicle trips in Yellowstone while covering over 2,100 miles.
Fret not that you have missed the opportunity to hitch a ride on this free autonomous bus because now that the pilot is deemed a success, the future of autonomous shuttles at parks is a question when more than the question of if it will happen.
All images courtesy of National Park Service.
