Renault starts public trial of its on-demand car service using autonomous, electric and shared ZOE Cab

From 14 October to 8 November 2019, throughout the Paris-Saclay urban campus, a panel of some 100 people will use Groupe Renault’s on-demand car service . People travelling to the campus by public transportation can then use it to freely move around the site. Interior cameras and screens are provided for passengers throughout the trip.c The experiment is conducted with a “safety operator” on-board the vehicle.

Between half past midnight and 3:00 a.m., an autonomous shuttle will serve four stops , covering a total distance of nearly six kilometers in both directions to supplement the existing train, regional express, coach and bus services, etc.

The service is designed to fit in with the existing transportation systems and extend service beyond their scheduled operating times. It will optimize existing road infrastructure and commercial speed by using the public bus rapid transit lanes.

The service will operate as follows:

−      The user hails a car or books a car ahead of time by using a dedicated smartphone app.

−      A prototype autonomous electric Renault ZOE Cab comes to pick up the user at the nearest pick-up point.

−      The user enters the vehicle and is driven to the drop-off point closest to his or her destination.

−      If need be, the vehicle stops on the way to pick up another passenger travelling along all or part of the same route.

The service is designed to provide a large number of pick-up and drop-off points, which do not interfere with other traffic and are located near (never much more than 300 meters from) the most frequented campus areas.

Source:  Media Group Renault