This week marks the beginning of a mobility project in Cobb County that will offer free rides on a new autonomous shuttle bus along two different routes. According to a report from 11 Alive, rides on the 8-person self-driving shuttle will be available for the next 8 months as part of the Cumberland Community Improvement District’s broader transportation plan known as the Cumberland Sweep. The initial routes of the shuttle include one that will operate on the I-285 pedestrian bridge that connects Cobb Galleria Center to The Battery Atlanta. Another route will facilitate transportation for commuters and visitors within the Galleria Office Park.
The Cumberland Community Improvement District reports that the new shuttle — known as the Hopper — is provided courtesy of Beep, a company that provides next-generation mobility services that utilize driverless, electric, multi-passenger vehicles. Autonomous vehicles such as the Hopper are designed to share the road with buses and other vehicles during operational hours, observing signals, stop signs, and other traffic regulations using a series of optical sensors on the outside of the vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with seat belts and other safety features, including an onboard emergency kit and an emergency stop button.
According to Cobb County’s Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, there are more than 300 motor vehicle crashes on county roadways each year that result in the death or injury of at least one person. The action plan is in place to create a framework for reducing traffic accidents in heavily traveled areas. Beep’s autonomous shuttles can operate at speeds of up to 15 mph, and 11 Alive reports that the technology responds about three times faster than a human driver would when it identifies an obstacle in its path, such as a vehicle or a pedestrian.
If you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Cobb County that was caused by a driver’s negligence, an experienced car accident attorney from Cambre & Associates can explore your legal options with you and tell you about the personal injury claims process that can be used to seek compensation for the expenses and impacts you incurred as a result of your injury. Contact us for a free case evaluation.