Christchurch Airport buys new driverless electric shuttle

Friday, 21 June 2019

Cantabrians keen to get on board a driverless shuttle will have their chance next week. 

The Christchurch Airport has bought a 15-person New Zealand built Ohmio Automation Lift shuttle. The vehicle is autonomous and electric, and has some parts which were 3D printed.

Members of the public will be able to hop on for a spin around the airport's plaza area at 8am, 10am, 12pm and 2pm on Monday to Friday next week.

It is the second stage of an ongoing trial of autonomous vehicles at the airport which began in January 2017 with a smart shuttle made by French company Navya.

**READ MORE:

* First NZ autonomous vehicle demonstration kicks off at Christchurch Airport

* Kiwi-made driver-less vehicle trials for Christchurch Airport**

The Navya, which is smaller than the Lift, has been tested on private roads around the airport since the launch, but will not be part of the airport's second stage of trials. It was loaned to the airport by tech company HMI. 

General manager of corporate affairs Michael Singleton said after the public ride sessions next week, the shuttle would be put back on private roads to build an understanding of the infrastructure requirements for autonomous vehicles, and the vehicle itself. 

The airport announced in March last year it would trial the Lift. Ohmio chief executive Stephen Matthews said at the time he hoped it would be certified to carry passengers on the road within a year, a timeframe that passed before the vehicle was delivered. 

Singleton said Ohmio would be able to use the shuttle as well, including off the airport site. 

He could not say how much the Lift cost as it was commercially sensitive. 

The airports interest in new technology has also lead it to partner with Cora, a driver-less air taxi under development in Canterbury by Zephyr Airworks.

It provided logistics support and made space available to Zephyr Airworks, but had not made any financial contributions.