Five things to know about Fishers’ driverless car

By STEPHANIE PERRY

City of Fishers

Perry

Recently, a new (and free!) AV shuttle launched in downtown Fishers, and there’s a lot of buzz around these Together in Motion self-driving vehicles from May Mobility. So, here’s five things to know about Fishers’ newest public transportation service.

1. It’s an SUV – but completely decked out with the latest AV technology!

To create the autonomous shuttles, modifications were made to five hybrid-electric Lexus RX450h vehicles, as well as one fully electric Polaris GEM vehicle equipped to carry a wheelchair. Vehicles were outfitted with seven cameras, a top-mounted long-range Velodyne Alpha Prime lidar, four short-range Ouster lidars, and five radars. Even though the vehicle is self-driving, a trained vehicle operator is always on board every shuttle.

2. It’s a fixed route.

Unlike a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, the Together in Motion Indiana shuttle stops are pre-determined and marked by signs along the route. Shuttles run continuously Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. along a three-mile loop throughout Fishers’ downtown Nickel Plate Cultural District. You can ride the full route or hop off at any of the nine stops along the way. Ready to hop back on? Just wait at one of the stops for the next shuttle to arrive (typically 10 to 15 minutes). A wheelchair-accessible shuttle is also available upon request at (463) 37-3915. You can check out the route map here.

3. There’s room for three but be sure to grab your mask.

There’s room for three passengers in each shuttle or one rider in a wheelchair. Masks are required while in the vehicle. A trained vehicle operator will ride in the driver’s seat of each vehicle to provide an additional level of oversight and customer service.

4. It’s kid-friendly!

Kids of all ages are welcome to hop aboard, although children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Babies, toddlers, and young children can ride if their adult guardian can provide and install a Child Safety Seat in the vehicle.

5. This is the first suburban pilot for May Mobility.

Although Fishers is the ninth city to host the pilot program, it is the first suburban landscape used to test the vehicles. Earlier this year, May Mobility ran a pilot in Indianapolis near the IUPUI campus.

So, grab a friend and try out the new shuttle service for your next shopping or dining adventure! You can learn more about the service here.

Stephanie Perry is the Assistant Director of Public Relations of the City of Fishers. Born and raised in Fishers, Stephanie graduated from Hamilton Southeastern High School in 2006 and is now raising her kids in her childhood home in West Fishers, which she purchased from her parents when they moved. She loves supporting the local small business community, running on Fishers’ trails, and spending time at Conner Prairie with her family. (Headless Horsemen and A Merry Prairie Holiday are family favorites!) Stephanie and her husband enjoy getting outdoors and spending time camping, hiking, and boating. Stephanie has enjoyed watching her city grow over the past few decades and loves the assets and amenities that the community provides, from the parks and special events to the array of restaurants and shops.