Local Motors announces winners of first fleet challenge; second challenge kicks off

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Local Motors by LM Industries Group Inc. has selected entities in Phoenix, Arizona and Sacramento, California as the winning entries for its first fleet challenge for its autonomous shuttle known as Olli.

According to Local Motors, the “first-of-its-kind global fleet challenge” invites municipalities, campuses and designated districts to propose a short-term, local use for Local Motors' self-driving, electric shuttles.

An Olli fleet is deployed to a series of select locations after the entries are evaluated and selected by a panel of esteemed judges.

EVIT— Arizona’s first joint technical education district—earned the bid for the Phoenix-area deployment, while Sacramento State University-—California’s capital university—earned the bid for the Sacramento-area deployment.

Within the next few weeks, Local Motors officials will begin mapping the winning locations, with expectations to deploy the fleets for public use by the end of Jan. 2019.

“Olli is already transforming the way we think about transportation and it is showing us, from its deployment in Adelaide to its deployment at the University at Buffalo, that autonomous vehicles can be safe, sustainable and practical,” says Jay Rogers, CEO and co-founder of Local Motors.

“It’s exciting to know that with each new challenge a new audience will be exposed to self-driving technology. And, we look forward to the insights that will come from each deployment as the ever-changing industry of autonomous vehicles continues to evolve.”

Having named the winners of its first fleet challenge, Local Motors has also announced that it is opening a second fleet challenge for entries in the Greater Washington, D.C.-area.

The second challenge runs through Feb. 6, 2019. The selected location will receive a fleet of Olli shuttles to use for approximately three months.

“This is an exciting time for intelligent mobility in the Washington region,” says Shailen Bhatt, President and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America. Bhatt will serve as one of the judges for the Greater Washington entries.

“Local Motors’ Olli challenge is sure to ignite more innovation around the future of autonomous transportation. I am passionate about technology’s ability to save lives on our roadways, so I’m thrilled about this project.”

​In the coming months, more fleet challenges, with unique judging panels, will continue to roll out, Local Motors says.