Two low-speed, driverless shuttles, called the Med City Mover, will be part of a year-long pilot project to gather data and information on the use of automated vehicles will be on the streets in downtown Rochester soon.
The vehicles will begin mapping and programming the route prior to carrying passengers, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The Med City Mover automated shuttle project is a partnership that involves MnDOT, the city of Rochester, Destination Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, First Transit and EasyMile. It’s the first driverless shuttle project to travel the streets in Minnesota.
The route programming work is expected to begin in July. The shuttles will be operated by individuals during this period and traveling at slow speeds.
The public will be able to ride the shuttles during the year-long effort and are expected to being public use in late August.
Motorists may encounter these slower moving vehicles when traveling downtown Rochester and should take additional caution.