The Henry Ford announced today the acquisition of a Navya Autonom Shuttle. Donated by Mcity, a public-private connected and automated vehicle research partnership led by the University of Michigan, the vehicle was used as part of the first driverless shuttle project in the United States focused on user behavior. The research project studied how passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers interacted with the autonomous vehicle. With the shuttle, The Henry Ford also receives the extensive data processed by market research firm J.D. Power regarding rider interaction, providing a window into the reactions, concerns and doubts from some of the very first passengers to experience this technology in a routine setting.
“It’s imperative that we continue to thoughtfully document the growth and acceptance of autonomous vehicle transportation,” said Patricia Mooradian, president & CEO, The Henry Ford. “The NAVYA Autonom shuttle used by Mcity, and the research processed by J.D. Power, is a very important piece of helping us continue to grow our automotive collection and tell the future story of mobility.”
Photo by Joseph Xu, University of Michigan 