Free autonomous shuttle service starts in Detroit this week

Looking for a way to get to Michigan Central from downtown or the East Riverfront? A new shuttle service starts Tuesday, August 13 and it's free for the public to use.

The Connect is an autonomous shuttle that will run a 10.8-mile loop from Bedrock's 200 Walker St. building on the East Riverfront, through downtown, and to Michigan Central. The service runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, with stops every 10-15 minutes.

Users can track wait times through Liftango. 

During the launch, the AV shuttle will be manually operated and over time will switch to fully autonomous. The Ford e-transit shuttles are all-electric and wheelchair accessible.

The project is a collaboration between the City of Detroit, Bedrock, Michigan Central, the State of Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, and Perrone Robotics. The city has additional funding through MDOT for another shuttle; this fifth shuttle will help extend the pilot for another year. 

Anyone wanting more information on the new service can find it here.