There’s been another transportation first at the location where the Wright Brothers flew the first airplane.
But this time the mode of transportation is on the ground, not in the air. The vehicle is called CASSI, which stands for Connected Autonomous Shuttle Supporting Innovation.
It’s a partnership between the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the National Park Service. CASSI is the first self-driving shuttle to be tested at a recreational public lands site in the nation. The test runs through July 16, 2021.
CASSI is being rented from EasyMile of Toulouse, France, for $50,000 a month for a three-month pilot program. This isn’t CASSI’s first stop in North Carolina. It was first tested on a set route at North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus last spring, just before the COVID pandemic shut the campus down.
Just like in that earlier test at NCSU, CASSI will travel at about 10 mph.
Its route at the Wright Brothers site is the one-mile road that loops around the base of the Wright Monument. It connects the visitor’s center to the First Flight Sculpture.
Although CASSI is designed to be autonomous, the vehicle will have an operator on board to monitor conditions and stop manually if needed. CASSI guides itself by using GPS and LIDAR, which stands for light detection and ranging. The test is designed to provide data to the National Park Service and NCDOT about how to safely and effectively use driverless vehicles. The study also wants to see how well people accept driverless vehicles. A similar vehicle is being tested in Yellowstone National Park and CASSI already operates in 30 countries.
If the pilot project is successful, North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette said the program could be an asset for rural or other underserved communities in the state.
“It was great — the technology was awesome,” Boyette said as he stepped out of the vehicle. “It’s just another first for North Carolina. I’m excited about that.”