The N.C. Department of Transportation partnered with communities and universities across the state to test and evaluate all-electric, low-speed automated shuttles in pilots that provided free shared rides to the public.
NCDOT is continuously exploring new options for the next set of pilots for their Connected Autonomous Shuttle Supporting Innovation program, or CASSI.
- NCDOT is exploring how automated vehicles can be tested and integrated into high quality, on-demand transit services that address transportation challenges, including grant applications to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation program.
- NCDOT continues to support N.C. A&T State University to develop a fleet of automated shuttles, an innovative rural test track, and automated shuttle pilots through its Aggie Auto program. NCDOT funded the first open road demonstration of the shuttles that gave free rides to the public and collected community feedback toward future research and development.
- NCDOT partnered with N.C. A&T State University for an application to the USDOT Rural Autonomous Vehicle Research Program to demonstrate and deploy automated shuttles toward better serving rural and tribal areas of the state.
- NCDOT is also supporting N.C. A&T State University’s Region 4 University Transportation Center (Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities, or CR2C2).