Die ersten Einsatzzwecke selbstfahrender Autos werden in begrenzten Umgebungen liegen. Bereits heute werden autonome Shuttles weltweit eingesetzt oder getestet. (In Columbus, Ohio, in Las Vegas, in Paris, in Singapur und anderen Orten) Das ist naheliegend, weil auf diesem Weg die technischen Anforderungen massiv gesenkt werden.
The Economist berichtet über Voyage, das selbstfahrende Autos in Pensionärssiedlungen testet und warum das Sinn ergibt:
[Voyage] is testing its autonomous vehicles (AVs) in The Villages, a retirement community in Florida with a population of 125,000 people. Retirement towns are ideally suited to AVs for three reasons, says Oliver Cameron, Voyage’s CEO.
Der erste und wichtigste Grund: Einfache Umgebung.
First, the environment is simpler and easier for an AV to navigate than a bustling city centre. Speed limits are lower, road layouts are less complex and there are fewer other vehicles. Second, there is strong demand for mobility. […]
Zweiter Grund: Nachfrage.
Second, there is strong demand for mobility. Active retirees want the ability to get around but they may not want the expense and hassle of owning a car. For residents who are unable or have lost the confidence to drive, summoning a vehicle when needed has obvious appeal.
Dritter Grund: Wachsende Größe dieser Siedlungen in Märkten wie den USA in Verbindung mit zentralen Ansprechpartnern, die man mit an Bord holen kann, erleichtern den Marktzugang:
Third, there is a clear road to a large market. The Villages is America’s largest retirement community and one of the fastest-growing residential areas in the country. “We expect it to be the first city in the world to adopt AVs as the primary means of transport,” says Mr Cameron. The number of such communities is growing fast as America ages. […]
As part of its deal to become the exclusive provider of AV services in these places, Voyage granted a 0.5% stake in the firm to the owners of the two communities.
Voyage testet aktuell 6 Prototypen mit Testfahrern an Bord in “The Villages“.