“The Connect” AV Shuttle Service - Opening to the Public on Tuesday, August 13

• “The Connect” AV Shuttle Service, a free, autonomous and fully electric pilot program, will open to the public on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, with operations starting at 7:00 AM.
• The City of Detroit has secured an additional $1.67 million in funding from MDOT, which will be used to add a fifth shuttle, reduce wait times, and extend the pilot service by an additional year.
• The shuttle will operate on a 10.8-mile route from Corktown through downtown Detroit to the East Jefferson Riverfront and back, with shuttles arriving approximately every 10-15 minutes during peak hours.
• The Connect project is a collaborative effort involving the City of Detroit, Bedrock, Michigan Central, and the State of Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, with Perrone Robotics providing autonomous vehicle technology.

The City of Detroit is excited to announce the launch of “The Connect” autonomous vehicle (AV) shuttle pilot program, scheduled to open to the public on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. The Connect pilot aims to learn and refine an autonomous vehicle transit service to meet the diverse needs of Detroit's community. The pilot program is a significant step toward achieving a zero-emission public transportation system and setting a new standard for sustainable urban mobility in Detroit.      

Upon launch, the pilot shuttles will be manually operated to allow for operations acclimation, analyze potential route adjustments, and verify the specific autonomous features needed for Detroit’s urban environment     . Over time, additional capabilities and functionalities will be added, including full autonomous driving later this year in partnership with Perrone Robotics. Throughout the duration of the pilot, a safety operator will remain behind the wheel of The Connect shuttles at all times. The City of Detroit, along with its partners, will continue to engage with the community to gather feedback and make improvements to the service.

The Connect Service Details:

The fully electric shuttle service, which loops from Corktown through downtown Detroit to the East Jefferson Riverfront, is free for all riders. The service will commence with four all-electric, wheelchair-accessible Ford E-Transit shuttles.

• Public Operations Begin: Tuesday, August 13 at 7:00 AM
• Operating Hours: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday to Friday
• Frequency: Shuttles will arrive at stops approximately every 10 to 15 minutes during peak hours
• Accessibility: Riders can track the shuttles in real-time at: theconnect.liftango.com

The 'Connect' Service Route Map:

Real-Time Tracking and Accessibility:

Riders can track the shuttles in real-time and get estimated times of arrival via the Liftango web platform, which will be accessible via mobile devices or desktop. Video tutorial and user guides for the platform will be available when service opens on the official website. More details to come. 

Project Partners:

The Connect project is a collaborative effort involving the City of Detroit, Bedrock, Michigan Central, and the State of Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME). Perrone Robotics, Inc. was selected as the preferred partner operating the shuttle service, leveraging over 20 years of expertise in autonomous vehicle technology.

Funding and Support:

In addition to the initial $1.5 million in first-year funding from Michigan Central, Bedrock, and the State of Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), the City of Detroit has secured an additional $1.67 million from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). This new funding will be used to enhance the Connect service by adding a fifth shuttle, reducing wait times, and extending the pilot by an additional year.

For more information about the Connect pilot project and to access the shuttle tracking platform, please visit  www.detroitmi.gov/government/mayors-office/office-mobility-innovation/connect-av-shuttle-service.

###

About the City of Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation (OMI):

The Office of Mobility Innovation (OMI) exists to help the City of Detroit navigate the rapidly changing transportation and mobility industries. Transportation and mobility are essential for both people and businesses and Detroit’s automotive heritage provides an unparalleled opportunity to work with industry to innovate and define their future.

OMI leads mobility advancement efforts on behalf of the City of Detroit and collaborates with industry, academia, philanthropy, and local, state and federal government. By centering residents in every step of the process, OMI is focused on leveraging mobility as a pathway to opportunity in Detroit.

For additional information about OMI, please visit https://detroitmi.gov/government/mayors-office/office-mobility-innovation  or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube and Instagram

About Michigan Central:

Michigan Central is a 30-acre technology and cultural hub in Detroit, where leaders, thinkers, communities, and creators come together to accelerate bold ideas and technologies that shape our collective future. By providing access to world-class infrastructure, tools, and resources, Michigan Central inspires innovators and community members to collaborate on real, ground-breaking solutions to global problems. Since opening in April 2023, Michigan Central has grown into a diverse ecosystem of more than 600 employees from over 100 companies and startups working at the intersection of mobility and society. The Station at Michigan Central opened as the centerpiece of the district in June 2024 and has already attracted tens of thousands of visitors to celebrate and explore the historic transformation of Detroit’s iconic former train station into a global destination. Learn more at michigancentral.com.

About Bedrock:

Bedrock is a full-service real estate firm specializing in innovative city building strategies. Since its founding in 2011, Bedrock and its affiliates have invested and committed more than $7.5 billion to acquire, develop and operate more than 140 properties in Detroit and Cleveland with landmark developments at the Hudson’s Site, Book Tower, City Modern, Tower City Center and the May Company Building. 

Bedrock’s projects include new construction, adaptive reuse and a portfolio totaling more than 21 million square feet of office, retail, residential, industrial, hospitality and parking. 

For additional information about Bedrock, please visit bedrockdetroit.com or engage with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About State of Michigan's Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME)

Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification works across state government, academia and private industry to enhance Michigan’s mobility ecosystem, including developing dynamic mobility and electrification policies and supporting the startup and scale up of emerging technologies and businesses. Learn more at MichiganBusiness.org/ofme

About Perrone Robotics: Perrone is a leading provider of autonomous vehicle systems. The company delivers mobility excellence via TONY® (short for "TO Navigate You"), a vehicle independent retrofit kit for use in the autonomous transit of people and goods in geo-fenced and localized operations. TONY embeds inside any vehicle type or model, for any job application to provide a complete "artificial driver" solution that brings full autonomy in a safety certifiable framework. Proven, piloted, and in commercial production, Perrone autonomous systems help commercial, municipal, and governmental customers increase transportation efficiencies, enhance safety, and accelerate zero-emission electric vehicle deployment. The company also offers a portfolio of existing turnkey autonomous shuttles and vehicles pre-integrated with the TONY AV-Retrofit kit.