Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) and Energy Systems Network (ESN) announce that May Mobility and Udelv would be the first two deployments of the Future Mobility District Initiative in Indiana.
The Future Mobility District Initiative, created in association with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), works to foster innovation through industry partnerships and advance research and development in the advanced mobility technologies in Indiana. TMF established the Future Mobility District to support Toyota’s Mobility for All mission, as well as its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Future Mobility District will support deployments focusing on improving the overall movement of people and good in the changing mobility ecosystem. The human-centered framework, the Foundation said, will facilitate implementation activities and commercialization of cooperative options while taking into account local community input.
“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, co-founder 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.”
May Mobility will begin operating two six-month, non-concurrent autonomous vehicle shuttle services for passengers in the cities of Indianapolis and Fishers. The shuttle will create a connection between the Vermont Station on IndyGo’s Red Line to areas west of downtown. Operations will begin in May 2021 and include five Lexus RX450h vehicles equipped with May Mobility’s autonomous technology alongside one wheelchair-accessible Polaris GEM shuttle.
Udelv will implement its Delivery Management System in Indianapolis in 2021, using one Toyota Sienna equipped with their DMS technology. The system used an automated cargo pod (uPod) and a cloud-based operating system (UdelvOS) to deliver goods to consumers without contact.
“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,” Udelv CEO Daniel Laury said.