Advances in autonomous mobility, which is a crucial link in deploying affordable MaaS at scale, have the potential to make it vastly easier for public transit agencies to reach new service areas — so-called “gray zones” where public transportation is not practical for economic or geographic reasons. The infrastructure required for these services is much lower, as no new rails or overhead power lines are needed.

A report by Carnegie Mellon University for the city of Pittsburgh recommends autonomous shuttles as a way to expand public transportation because “a single bus costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to own and operate, with about 70% of operating costs coming from wages and benefits to drivers. An autonomous shuttle avoids these costs.”
More>>