Detroit Evening Report: MDOT grants $1.67M to city for Connect AV shuttle service
The Detroit skyline from Hart Plaza.
The City of Detroit announced this week that it received additional state funding to support the fully electric Connect AV shuttle.
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) granted $1.67 million to enhance the upcoming autonomous vehicle service. Scheduled to begin late summer, the Connect shuttle will run from Corktown through downtown Detroit, down the East Jefferson Riverfront and back. The service will be free to all members of the public.
The MDOT funding also allows the city increase rider capacity, reduce wait times and extend the Connect Service for an additional year and an additional fifth shuttle.
Tim Slusser, the city’s Chief of Mobility Innovation, says this autonomous vehicle is safe to travel no matter the season.
“The thing that autonomy can sometimes struggle with is inclement weather, and if the autonomous technology is unable to drive…no problem,” Slusser said. “That safety operator will not only ensure the highest level of safety, but also to ensure the service doesn’t have to take a day off.”
The Connect shuttles will have wheelchair accessibility and it will connect two major areas of Detroit. For more information go to detroitmi.gov.
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