World first driverless pods trial for disabled people in Coventry
A Coventry-based autonomous vehicle specialist is kick-starting a ‘world first’ trial showcasing how autonomous technology can deliver improved mobility and independence for people with health conditions and disabilities.
Aurrigo, which employs 85 people across its Advanced Engineering Centre in the West Midlands and offices in the US, Canada and Australia, is conducting the driverless pods trial involving blind veterans in Brighton as part of an exercise to explore possible ‘first and last mile’ transport solutions.
The company has joined forces with Blind Veterans UK to develop a six-month programme of testing that will start in April and expects to achieve valuable real-life experiences it can use to improve the technology going forward.
This is the first time Aurrigo has ever conducted an extended trial with veterans or people with a disability and it is hoped that the pods could provide a long-term solution to improve the independence of people that have mobility issues.
