Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers fans can soon be able to take driverless vehicles to and from the parking lots of AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Park about an hour before and after all games this season.
The autonomous shuttle service, nicknamed “Milo,” will start its free service on Aug. 26 for the Cowboys’ preseason game against the Oakland Raiders. According to Arlington officials, Milo is capable of holding 12 people at one time and traveling an average of 10-12 miles per hour, all on a single battery charge that lasts 14 hours. The technology also comes with a collision avoidance system that detects obstacles, pedestrians and other vehicles.
Arlington is leasing two self-driving, electric vehicles from France-based EasyMile for a one-year pilot program to explore autonomous transportation technology in a real-world setting.
“The experts are saying every day there is something new being invented in transportation. It’s a great opportunity for us to do these pilot projects, for us to actually test them in our community and for our citizens to be able to look at them and see if they work here and what their opinion of it is,” Arlington mayor Jeff Williams said. “We want to see how this technology performs, where it is best utilized and how it can be harnessed to potentially serve the city’s transportation needs in the future.”
Milo runs on a pre-programmed route on paved off-street trails and stops at assorted, pre-designated stops throughout the aforementioned stadiums’ parking lots and complexes. Federal rules at this time prevent it from operating on public streets.
Special sensors in the collision avoidance systems detect objects and individuals on the path, triggering the vehicle to stop. Inside Milo, there is an emergency stop button and human certified operator present, just in case. Milo will be free for all event attendees, and is also wheelchair accessible.
First Transit will provide operational services for the shuttles, adding another level of vehicle oversight and customer service. For visitors to Arlington’s Entertainment District, the city is offering shuttle service in collaboration with the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, for all Cowboys and Rangers games along with larger concerts and events.