N.C. A&T opens autonomous shuttle service for the public

N.C. A&T Chancellor Harold Martin says these shuttles will be taking anyone who needs to get from A&T to the Miriam P. Brenner Children's Museum in downtown Greensboro.

"Many of the questions were, 'Should I trust this vehicle, Is it really going to get me there safely, I'm concerned that they may not get there safe,' but they do work," said Martin.

To make them work, Professor Ali Karimoddini says they had to overcome multiple hurdles.

"The challenges and complexity multiply exponentially when we move from the lab to the test tracks and from the track to the public streets," said Ali Karimoddini.

The fleet will be made up of three shuttles with six seats each. One of those seats will be occupied by someone in the program to make sure the shuttle stays on track.

Karimoddini says it should help those in vulnerable communities.

"It serves the A&T neighboring area, which is a food desert, and East Greensboro, which is an underserved area," said Karimoddini.

It will be available to the public from September 19th to October 13th between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.