On Thursday, the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) and Energy Systems Network (ESN) designated May Mobility and Udelv as the first two deployments of the Future Mobility District initiative.
The Future Mobility District initiative, established in collaboration with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), aims to foster innovation through industry partnerships and propel research and development in advanced mobility technologies in Indiana. TMF has established the Future Mobility District initiative in support of Toyota’s mission of Mobility for All and commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in this case to the Goal No. 11 of Sustainable Cities and Communities.
The Future Mobility District will support deployments focused on improving overall movement of people and goods to validate their role in the changing mobility ecosystem. Designed with local community input, this human-centered framework will facilitate implementation activities and commercialization of an array of cooperative options.
May Mobility, a leader in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology and shuttle operations, will begin operating two six-month non-concurrent AV shuttle services for passengers in the cities of Indianapolis and Fishers. The Indianapolis deployment is designed to increase mobility options by providing a connection from the nearby Vermont Station – along IndyGO’s Red Line – to areas west of downtown.
The fixed-route service will be open to the general public when operations begin in May 2021 and will include five Lexus RX450h vehicles equipped with May Mobility’s autonomous technology alongside one wheelchair-accessible Polaris GEM shuttle.
“The May Mobility team is thrilled to be partnering with the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Energy Systems Network to bring this new AV shuttle service to Indianapolis and Fishers,” said Edwin Olson, cofounder and CEO of May Mobility. “Our mission is to offer safe, reliable and accessible transportation options that can seamlessly integrate with the available public and private services. And with every new deployment, we are able to expand our capabilities to better serve the riders and communities.”
Prior to launching its operations, May Mobility will establish its regional headquarters at the Indiana Internet of Things (IoT) Lab in Fishers. Founded in 2017, the Indiana IoT Lab is one of the nation’s first to bring together various players in the growing IoT sector and contributes to making Central Indiana a thriving hub of innovation, education, and networking opportunities. May Mobility will subsequently commence autonomous vehicle operations in Fishers in November 2021.
“We’ve built our community to be smart and entrepreneurial in both business and lifestyle to make way for opportunities such as this,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “The partnership with ESN, Toyota Mobility Foundation, and May Mobility allows Fishers to be at the forefront of personal mobility in Indiana.”
Udelv, the world’s leading autonomous delivery platform for last and middle mile delivery, improves living quality in cities by reducing overall traffic and carbon footprint through their highly effective and innovative Delivery Management System (DMS), comprised of an automated cargo pod (the uPod®) and a cloud-based operating system, the UdelvOS. Udelv’s DMS is the only true contactless delivery system in the world. Through Udelv’s uPod, goods are retrieved from an individual compartment by consumers without direct contact with the vehicle’s driver. Udelv will begin operations of its program in 2021 in Indianapolis with one Toyota Sienna equipped with their innovative DMS technology.
“We are excited to now also deploy our platform on a Toyota Sienna in Indianapolis and allow for true contactless delivery and improved customer service levels while lowering cost and pollution in the process”, said Daniel Laury, CEO of Udelv.
“As we actively pursue Mobility for All through our Future Mobility District initiative, we want to continue to partner with like-minded organizations like Udelv and May Mobility who understand the importance of advancing innovation in mobility through community engagement,” said Ryan Klem, Director of Programs for the Toyota Mobility Foundation. “We are confident they are key players in helping to build the future of sustainable cities and communities.
“The introduction of the Indiana Future Mobility District’s first two mobility services are major steps forward for defining the initiative and validating its model for cost-effective and cooperative mobility technologies,” said Matt Peak, Managing Director at ESN. “The integration of additive technologies into the region’s existing transportation resources will continue to push Central Indiana to the cutting edge of innovation and help inform deployment strategies in other regions.”
Additional details about the Future Mobility District initiative deployments and how to get involved will be made available in the coming months leading up to the launch of these pilots.