Technology made by Perrone Robotics Inc will be used on an autonomous shuttle bus that will provide service to Texas Southern University, Houston’s Third Ward, and the University of Houston.
Perrone will outfit the Zeus 400, a mid-size body-on-chassis shuttle bus from Phoenix Motorcars, with its technology. The Zeus 400 is compliant with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), Buy America compliant, as well as compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Partnership part of METRO program
Perrone was awarded the opportunity by the Houston METRO as part of the “METRO Shuttle of the Future” project. This award is part of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) grant which was granted last year.
Perrone is joined on this project by management firm STV and Transcend Engineers & Planners.
“We believe that the industry needs more vehicles that are roadworthy and road ready” said Nicholas Pilipowskyj, vice president of business operations for Perrone. “Autonomous vehicles should be tested and held to the same standards as the ones we can buy off the lot. Having a vehicle that is safe and reliable, to supplement existing services, is key to having the public widely accept autonomous vehicles operating with them on public roads.”
Perrone's vehicle agnostic TONY AV Kit is modular and facilitates integration into existing vehicle platforms. This ability to outfit a pre-existing vehicle was a key point for the selection committee at Houston METRO, according to Perrone.
“Houston METRO, an organization known for driving transit towards innovation while maintaining the highest level of safety, is a natural partner for us. The TONY AV kit's rapid integration capability, uniquely certifiable path to safety and cyber-security, combined with a rich history of proven and comprehensive autonomy, positions us for fleet-level autonomous transit operations today.” said Paul Perrone, founder/CEO of Perrone Robotics.
“We are looking forward to this visionary deployment with Houston METRO in Texas, and to providing safe and efficient mobility for all of Houston METRO's partners and the Houston community,” he added.
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