Technology company Aptiv is testing whether self-driving vehicles can safely and reliably pick up airport passengers.
The company announced last week that it would begin picking up and dropping off a select group of travellers at Las Vegas’s McCarran International Airport with autonomous vehicles. Initially, the self-driving cars will primarily serve the Las Vegas based company’s employees and visitors to its facilities.
“Data has shown that a significant portion of ride-hailing demand comes from passengers travelling to and from airports,” said Karl Iagnemma, president of Aptiv Autonomous Mobility.
“We look forward to working with McCarran International Airport to demonstrate that self-driving cars can soon improve their customers’ mobility experience.”
The project also is part of Aptiv’s effort to deliver a production-ready autonomous driving system by 2022. Airport officials awarded the self-drive contract to Aptiv to determine the practicalities and efficiencies of potential robotaxi utilisation and deployment.
Aptiv already operates self-drive vehicles on the streets of Las Vegas, including the Vegas Strip, claiming to serve more than 3,400 hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, and the Las Vegas Convention Center. The company also has autonomous vehicles in operation in Boston, Singapore, and Pittsburgh.
