Shared Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Project

Shared Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Project
Posted on 03/14/2018
Autonomous VehiclesUPDATE September 27, 2019:

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), GoMentum Station, Bishop Ranch Business Park (Bishop Ranch), City of San Ramon, and the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), held a media event on Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at 10:00am to announce that the Easy Mile autonomous shuttle technology currently testing at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, California, will advance to the next stage of research and commence testing on public roads.  Keynote speakers included Alex Mehran Sr. (Bishop Ranch), Randy Iwasaki (CCTA), Mayor Bill Clarkson, and Jean Shimoto (DMV).

The announcement marks the beginning of the third phase of testing for a the pilot demonstration project authorized as part of California Assembly Bill 1592, which enables testing of electric, low-speed, multi-passenger, autonomous vehicles that are not equipped with a steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator or operator. This is the first shared autonomous vehicle to begin testing on public roads in California, specifically in San Ramon!

UPDATE:

Map of Pilot Testing

The status of the Bishop Ranch – San Ramon SAV project, is as follows: 

  1. Two new 2nd generation SAVs, Ollie, were purchased by the GoMentum Project and are now testing at the GoMentum Station in Concord.
  2. The new SAVs do not have National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) authorization to test on public roadways. Therefore, they will not be deployed on public roadways until such time as they meet NHTSA requirements and a DMV license has been issued.
  3. The two Bishop Ranch SAVs, purchased by Sunset Development (1st generation models) were moved to Colorado for deportation to Canada or destroyed. They are no longer used for testing, as they no longer meet NHTSA requirements.
  4. The Bishop Ranch SAV testing on private property is no longer taking place. 
  5. The public roadway testing in the City is also on hold until the GoMentum Project receives NHTSA exemption and permission from the DMV to run an American made SAV on public streets.
  6. The SAV testing equipment at Bishop Ranch (traffic signal, etc.) has been removed from Bishop Ranch property; however, the storage shed will remain, but the temporary traffic signal has been moved to the GoMentum Station in Concord.
  7. Today, SAV and autonomous vehicle testing is taking place at the GoMentum Station, with testing on public roadways on hold until further notice.
  8. When the new SAV(s) are ready for testing on public roadways, all required state and federal requirements are met, and a DMV license has been issued, the City will be notified and testing will resume pending approval of testing procedures, testing area, testing schedule/timeline, and concurrence from the City.