The city of Arlington, Texas plans on becoming one of the first cities that tests out self-driving cars, encouraging tourists and residents to take a trip aboard their brightly colored smart vehicles.
Starting October 26th, three Drive.ai self-driving vehicles will be available for rides around town. This trial period will last for a year, with the company planning on increasing the amount of cars from three to five and giving out rides to all sorts of passengers who are interested in the technology.
In order to test out these vehicles, people must download the Driver.ai app and order a car from one of the five different pick up points located around the city. Cars have three routes that visit important tourist spots such as the Dallas Cowboys stadium, the Texas Rangers ballpark, restaurant areas, and more.
While the cars are controlled by AI, there will be a back up driver in the pilot seat and a “chaperone” in the passenger seat who’ll keep an eye on things and make sure that everything looks safe. The AI car has several digital panels installed that explain to passengers, pedestrians, and other cars on the road what the vehicle’s next move is going to be.
Mashable reports that these cars are very easy to identify, painted in bright blue and orange colors, with CEO Bijit Halder claiming that “self-driving cars should stand out and proclaim themselves as self-driving cars.”
The purpose of these rides is safety and convenience; Halder believes that if passengers are bored and safe while on their ride, then he’s done his job.
