Aurrigo International is expanding its vehicle line-up into North America with the deployment of its nine-seater passenger Auto-Shuttle in Kanata – the first operation of an all-season, medium-speed autonomous shuttle on public roads in Canada.
The project, delivered with the Kanata North Business Association (KNBA) and in collaboration with Area X.O operated by Invest Ottawa, will connect eight designated stops across Kanata North Technology Park, Canada’s largest tech park.
The 4.5km route has been strategically designed to link businesses, restaurants, community spaces and public transit, providing safe and accessible mobility for workers, residents and visitors.
The winter-ready, Level 4 electric and autonomous shuttle has been engineered to operate in challenging Canadian conditions, including snow, ice, rain, wind and falling leaves.
Following a period of rigorous testing at Area X.O, Canada’s all-weather R&D complex for next-gen technologies, the vehicle will begin service on public roads operating in mixed traffic at medium speeds.
David Keene MBE, CEO of Aurrigo International plc, commented, “We have been working with Kanata North Business Association for over six years on how we can effectively bring autonomous vehicles to the streets of Canada. This important project accelerates this vision, and we believe we have the real-world technology in place in Auto-Shuttle that will prove driverless vehicles can operate safely and effectively in all weather conditions.”
The initiative, building on earlier low-speed autonomous pod and shuttle trials conducted in Ottawa in 2019 and 2021, is advancing to a modified commercial vehicle with increased speed, capacity and operational range.
This real-world Canadian testing environment aims to provide valuable insights into supporting the advancement of Aurrigo’s autonomous airport shuttle solutions, which must deliver reliable performance across diverse weather and operational conditions.
In addition to serving as a practical transit solution, the trial will also provide valuable insights into several areas: the performance of electric and autonomous vehicles in real-world, four-season Canadian conditions; the development of a municipal safety framework for autonomous vehicles; inclusive design features such as Deaf.AI’s ASL avatar and visual communication system for deaf and hard-of-hearing riders; and policy recommendations to help shape future AV regulations.
“Kanata North is home to Canada’s largest technology park and more than 540 companies shaping the future of mobility, connectivity and innovation,” said Kelly Daize, executive director of the Kanata North Business Association. “It is not only an historic first for Canada – it’s a powerful example of how industry, government and community can come together to test real-world solutions that improve accessibility, advance safety and create a blueprint for the future of transportation in all seasons.”
Sonya Shorey, president and CEO of Invest Ottawa, said, “Invest Ottawa is honored to collaborate on this landmark project in our world-class, dual-use innovation hub. At Area X.O, our state-of-the-art all-weather R&D complex, founders, companies, regulators and their partners can rigorously test, validate and deploy next-generation technologies in all four seasons. This accelerates safe, market-ready innovations that deliver lasting economic, social and environmental benefits for our citizens, our community and our country.”
In related news, AB Dynamics has presented ClearTrack, a fully integrated object detection system for driverless robot-controlled vehicle testing, developed with sister company ABD Solutions. Read the full story here