A self-driving shuttle bus is at National Harbor and is coming to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.
Olli is an eight-passenger box on wheels. Once a human drives it to its route’s starting point, it goes autonomous, guided by LIDAR, radar and GPS. (For now, the human “safety steward” remains on board as a backup.)
鈥淥lli is a self-driving, low-speed, 3D-printed, connected, electric shuttle,鈥� said David Woessner, a vice president of LM Industries, the parent company of Local Motors, which makes Olli. 鈥淪ome people say it鈥檚 shaped like a lovely toaster.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to stop at stop signs like it鈥檚 supposed to. It鈥檚 going to obey traffic laws like it鈥檚 supposed to. It鈥檚 going to let pedestrians cross at intersections when it鈥檚 supposed to,鈥� Woessner said.
Right now, Olli is only driving invited guests on a 1.3-mile course around National Harbor, but the plan is to extend the route to go throughout National Harbor and to allow the public to begin riding it.
It鈥檚 set to go into operation at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall on June 19, although it鈥檚 not yet clear who will be able to ride it there.
The shuttle is expected to be at the base for about three months.
