A specially-selected range of participants have taken part in automated valet parking demonstrations in Greenwich this month.
The latest stage of the GATEway research program, led by TRL and joint-funded by government and industry, is seeking to explore the use, perception and acceptance of automated valet parking in a complex urban environment. The Royal College of Art (RCA), Gobotix, DG Cities and TRL worked together on the trial, which took place at the Greenwich Peninsula, London, from December 11-15, 2017.
Using a bespoke extension of the Gobotix remote driver assistance service app installed in a Toyota Prius, participants were given a unique insight and experience of automated valet parking and self-drive capability, as well as the opportunity to inform thinking on its future deployment in cities.
As part of the trial participants drove the adapted vehicle around a predefined route at the Greenwich Peninsula, before employing autonomous functionality at the InterContinental Hotel to park and then summoning the vehicle for a return journey.
At the Smart Mobility Living Lab London, around 40 members of the public also participated in workshops to explore and evaluate the opportunities and challenges for automated valet parking, including business travel, shopping and family leisure trips.
Richard Cuerden, director of the TRL Academy, said, “There have been some incredibly valuable outcomes from previous GATEway trials, which are already informing future development of autonomous technology. This latest phase allows us to develop additional insights into attitudes to automated valet parking technology, refining the experience and capturing public perception of last-mile autonomous solutions. We’re excited to see the results.”
