Italy tests self-driving vehicle in car sharing pilot
22/01/2025 16:35
By Giancarlo Navach and Cristina Carlevaro
BRESCIA, Italy, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Italy hosted a
pioneering test of a self-driving vehicle designed for car
sharing as part of a project carried out by utility A2A A2.MI
in the northern city of Brescia, A2A and its partners said on
Wednesday.
A Stellantis' STLAM.MI electric FIAT 500 city car left the
charging station, drove one kilometre at a maximum speed of 30
km/h in fully autonomous driving mode and stopped at a parking
area, simulating the experience of carrying a customer.
The organisers said it was the first such test of its kind
in Europe.
Each test will be monitored by a supervisor onboard the
vehicle and a control room. A safety car will accompany the
vehicles in traffic to warn road users that autonomous driving
is being tested on public roads.
The self-driving car is also capable of charging
autonomously without human intervention using charging stations
provided by A2A.
A2A's project, in collaboration with the Politecnico di
Milano university and Italy's National Sustainable Mobility
Centre, aims to contribute to decarbonising cities, traffic
reduction and environmental sustainability, A2A CEO Renato
Mazzoncini said.
"Europe cannot lag behind China and the United States, we
expect a commitment at a European level after this experimental
phase," said Mazzoncini.
The experimental phase will last until November, with tests
scheduled once or twice a month. The test area covers a large
part of Brescia, including the historic centre and neighbouring
districts.
In order to move from an experimental phase to a real use of
self-driving in car sharing "we need to remove the requirement
for a safety driver in the car, which is allowed by European
legislation," said Matteo Sergio Savaresi of Politecnico.
(Editing by Keith Weir)
((cristina.carlevaro@thomsonreuters.com; +39 06 80307729;))