Keolis Launches Canada’s First Autonomous Electric Shuttle Project on Public Roads, in Candiac
On 10 August 2018, Keolis, a pioneer in autonomous shared mobility, in collaboration with its partner NAVYA, announced the launch of a long-term demonstration project for an autonomous electric shuttle in Candiac, Quebec.
For the first time in Canada, an 100% autonomous electric shuttle will circulate on a public road in real operating conditions, thus extending the existing public transport offer to fully meet the mobility needs of Candiac’s residents.
A first in Canada
On 10 August 2018, Keolis, through its subsidiary Keolis Canada, and its partner NAVYA, supported by the Quebec Government, the Technopôle IVEO, the Cluster for Electric and Smart Transport, Propulsion Québec, announced the launch of the first pilot project for a 100% electric autonomous shuttle in Candiac, Quebec. The trial, which will last twelve months, is the first long-term demonstration of an autonomous shuttle in Canada. The NAVYA Autonom Shuttle will operate in real traffic conditions, on public roads, coexisting with regular traffic.
Located on the south shore of the island of Montreal, in the Montérégie region of Quebec, the city of Candiac has a population of 21,000 and covers an area of 17.59 km². The entry into service of the electric autonomous vehicle, which operates along a 2 km route, is intended to meet the mobility needs of the inhabitants of Candiac. The shuttle will make several stops along its route. One of the main objectives is to make it easier for the city’s inhabitants to get to and from work, notably by providing the interconnection between the shuttle and the bus terminal to take employees to their workplaces.
Due to the harsh weather conditions in Quebec, passenger services of the shuttle will temporarily be interrupted. However, during this time the shuttle will be tested without passengers on board, as part of research and development for the project. The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) of Quebec for road safety, with the support of industry partners, is also evaluating the possibility of conducting an independent study on road safety and social acceptance related to this project. The study would offer precious insights to help establish and maintain a safe environment for vehicles sharing the road.
Keolis, a pioneer in shared autonomous mobility
A pioneer in shared autonomous mobility, Keolis already conducts numerous trials with its partner NAVYA in France and around the world. This latest trial is the Group’s sixth long-term project*. In recent years, communities have shown a growing interest in this mobility solution. This curiosity has allowed pilot projects to proliferate and thus prove the viability of this technology in (re)designing everyday mobility, both today and tomorrow.
Since the launch of the service in Lyon in France in September 2016 – which was the first autonomous shuttle transport service in the world – Keolis and NAVYA have increased the number of trials.
In July 2018, the Group recorded 40,000km travelled and 110,000 passengers transported by autonomous shuttles, both in France and abroad.
* Paris (La Défense and Roissypôle with ADP), Lyon (Confluence), Las Vegas, London, Candiac.
Leading the way in public transport, Keolis partners with public decision makers to make shared mobility an asset for cities and their communities. Internationally recognised as the leading operator of trams and automated metros, Keolis adopts an innovative approach with all its partners and subsidiaries (Kisio, LeCab, EFFIA, Keolis Santé and Cykleo) to develop new forms of shared and customised mobility, and reinforce its core business across a range of transport modes including trains, buses, cars, trolleybuses, shared private hire vehicles, river shuttles, ferries, cycles, car sharing services, 100% electric autonomous vehicles and urban cable cars. In France, Keolis is now the leader in medical transport services through the creation of Keolis Santé in July 2017 and positioned as the number two car park operator, through its subsidiary EFFIA.
The company is 70% owned by SNCF and 30% by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ). Keolis employs 63,000 people in 16 countries and recorded a turnover of 5.4 billion euros in 2017. Each year, over 3 billion passengers worldwide use one of the shared mobility services offered by Keolis.
*Historically based in France, Keolis has expanded its operations in Germany, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, India, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Qatar, Sweden, the UK and the USA.
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