Michigan State University unveiled its new fully autonomous bus on Aug. 22. The bus, named SpartanXpress, was a collaborative project between the College of Engineering and autonomous driving software company ADASTEC.
The bus travels on a 5.12 mile fixed route that features stops at the Engineering Building, Wharton Center and IM East. The full route takes around 20 minutes, says MSU mobility and innovation director Judd Herzer.
“The route is unique for the autonomous bus,” Herzer said. “It’s not operating on a fixed route that you would, for instance, see from a CATA bus.”
It gives students a way to access different places on campus and provides numerous research opportunities.
“We’re one of the few universities, few places in the world, where you can ride a fully automated, full size transit vehicle,” Herzer said.
The route itself also provides opportunities for new research.
“It’s the first time ever that we’ve had a bus stop in the Wharton Center,” Herzer said. “Which is kind of neat and provides some opportunities for enticing data coming off of the automated bus.”
The data from the bus is available for all MSU students and staff to study.
“One of the great benefits of having this bus operating on a campus is that it enables our students and faculty to study just about anything about autonomous vehicles on a transit platform,” Herzer said. “Which is again very unique.”
Herzer already has many ideas for research that is possible through SpartanXpress.
“Everything from its safety, its performance, its interaction with the public, how automated vehicles work under real world conditions,” Herzer said. “Students and faculty will be able to study that across all four seasons of Michigan weather.”
The College of Engineering collaborated with ADASTEC on this project. ADASTEC is a company that focuses on creating software for autonomous vehicles, and Herzer says that they have been working with MSU for the past few years.
“ADASTEC Corp started a relationship with Michigan State University several years ago when we jointly deployed the U.S.’s first ever fully automated, full size transit vehicle,” Herzer said.
The partnership has benefited both sides, with MSU advancing research and technology and ADASTEC gaining employees.
“Fast forward now, a couple of years later, that company has grown from just a couple of people working in California to repositioning its global headquarters to East Lansing and hiring close to a dozen MSU students,” Herzer said.
That history is continuing to develop, as Herzer says that they are planning for the future.
“We’re very proud to now have this new bus launched on campus and a new three year partnership with ADASTEC now in full operation,” Herzer said. “We’re excited to see where things are going to go with that company and its relationship with MSU.”
Herzer hopes that having SpartanXpress on campus will encourage public trust in autonomous vehicles by incorporating them into their weekly routine. The partnership has taken steps to make the ride as comfortable as possible for those who remain uncertain about the reliability of autonomous vehicles.
“We always have a safety driver, just in case,” Herzer said. “It just makes it more comfortable for everyone, and that’s really what we’re aiming to do.”
A video explaining the various safety features also plays when you board SpartanXpress.
“If you’ve ever been curious about riding on an autonomous vehicle, I’d say this is a really perfect opportunity for you to get that experience,” Herzer said.
