The near future is full of enormous challenges when it comes to an aging population, traffic and rising temperatures.
By 2050, 88 million Americans will be 65 or older. Due to traffic congestion and a lack of infrastructure, Californians could spend twice as much time in traffic jams as they do now.
And global temperatures are expected to rise nearly three degrees Fahrenheit. But a high-tech solution seeks to mitigate these impacts and provide a more sustainable path forward.
You won’t find the testing grounds in Silicon Valley or in the trendy shared workspaces in San Francisco’s SoMa. Instead, you’ll find Walnut Creek’s revolutionary approach to public transportation on the road at Rossmoor.
“This is the perfect place to test this technology. This is a private gated community. Stop signs. It’s a simple roadway,” explained Tim Haile, executive director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority.
Haile is responsible for all planning, financing and implementation of the Measure J program. In 2004, Contra Costa voters approved Measure J, which will raise approximately $2.7 billion through sales taxes, with the money earmarked for county transportation programs.
The technology Haile was referring to is a self-driving, low-speed, electric-powered shuttle called PRESTO. The automated shuttle system made its debut last month.
The Rossmoor Project is a one-year pilot program offered free of charge to residents. The CCTA launched its first autonomous shuttle service at Bishop Ranch.
This is the second maintenance carried out in collaboration with Beep. A third launch will take place in Martinez.
Beep, headquartered in Florida, is a leading provider of so-called autonomous shared mobility services. These services use self-driving, electric vehicles with multiple passengers. Their goal is to reduce congestion with a sustainable, more climate-friendly approach.
CBS News Bay Area met with some members of the Rossmoor Sustainability Club and asked what they thought of the pilot program.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Adrian Bryam.
“For the sake of the planet, there must be widespread adoption of both electric vehicles and ultimately public transport. And I think there is also a place for autonomous vehicles,” said Timothy Cowan.
Nearby sat real estate agent Jackie Giffin. She had some questions.
“I think it’s a wonderful experiment, but as I watched it, so many questions came to mind: How does it really work? What do people do when they get on? Do they tell anyone where they’re going?” Gryffin asked.
John Moe said he thinks the shuttles will become safer and more efficient.
“I mean, the way we do things now, when everyone has their own car, just doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Moe concluded.
Haile told CBS News Bay Area that since Contra Costa County is in the suburbs, they expect more traffic congestion and they can’t find a way out of the problem. That’s why the province is looking at alternative ways and means to move people, reduce traffic congestion and fossil fuel use, and maintain the independence and quality of life for seniors, veterinarians and the disabled. And Rossmoor offers a lot to collect data as the shuttles look to benefit the community.
“It’s a great place to see how this technology can give people here in Rossmoor the independence and quality of life they deserve as they age,” Haile said.
There is a trained attendant on board the shuttle. Each vehicle can accommodate up to seven passengers in addition to the companion.
For now, the shuttle will run on a pre-programmed loop from the clubhouse to the fitness center, but only on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This group would like to see the opening hours expanded and the shuttles running on weekends.
“Having some form of wheels is very important,” Byram said. He said given the layout of Rossmoor, you can’t walk to the store or to a medical appointment.
“Some people keep their cars longer than necessary and if there is a really good alternative, it makes perfect sense,” he added.
All residents we spoke to were enthusiastic about the technology. No one expressed concern about its safety.
“Let’s face it, this vehicle can see all the way around it. It has six eyes. I have two,” Byram said.
“If the technology is there to get people where they want to go without having a driver, I think that’s fantastic. And environmentally speaking, that means it can’t be beat,” Giffin said.
Neither Giffin nor Moe had attempted the shuttle yet. They boarded at the designated stop, put on their seat belts and the door closed. The round trip took about 15 minutes. At some point the shuttle encountered an obstacle and stopped. The obstacle was a low-hanging branch that was to be pruned back.
When the shuttle returned to the community center, some praise and some feedback.
“I thought it might be slow, but it felt like it just continued,” Moe noted.
“It was hot and noisy, and I felt like the rear window needed sunscreen built into it,” Giffin said. Although overall she said she enjoyed the ride.
Haile said passenger feedback will shape the future of the technology. The hope is to go beyond fixed routes and offer public transportation on demand. Imagine, he mused, an autonomous, on-demand EV public transportation system that picks people up in neighborhoods, homes, businesses and urban areas.
“Taking them where they want to go, when they want to go, and how they want to get there, and how they want to get there. Our PRESTO shuttle is all about your ride, your way,” Haile explains.
The pilot program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Contra Costa Transit Authority was the only local agency among the eight federal grant recipients.
The hope is to eventually move beyond fixed routes and offer on-demand rides, paving the future of transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area.
