Coast Autonomous P-1

Coast Autonomous P-1

An Automotive Love Affair
By Joe Mavilia

Overview:

This is the future of several modes of transportation of people and cargo. So many applications that you will come up with many yourself I haven’t even considered.

I love the ingenuity of this human endeavor and how a few have risen for the time of their day. Well the greats like Edison, Bell, Ford, …… are followed with innovation of those alive in 2018.

With headquarters in Pasadena, California, the company describes it this way: “Coast Autonomous is a self-driving technology and software company at the dawn of one of the fastest and most profound disruptions to impact the transportation and logistics industries”.

Vehicles are built by proven manufacturers and then automated by fitting sensors/electronics and installing Coast software. Each AV is then certified to existing safety standards and regulations. At the same time, the Coast operations teams work with clients to plan and install AV systems. This work includes identifying infrastructure needs; mapping the environment where the vehicles will be operating; defining and programming the routes; setting up and testing the vehicles; setting up supervision and fleet management systems; training on-site supervisors and client staff; and establishing maintenance and cleaning schedules.

Coast’s founder and CTO, Pierre Lefevre, is the “father” of low-speed AVs and inventor of the world’s first commercially available autonomous shuttle, which won a “Product of the Future” award at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in 2014. This game-changing shuttle has already carried over 100,000 passengers without incident through a demonstration at Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). Coast’s technology team includes industry experts with over 50 years of experience in Artificial Intelligence, 3D mapping, robotics, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), connected vehicles, fleet management and automation.

The Coast Difference:

• Focused on low-speed environments
• Controlled and / or constrained environments
• Connected environments (infrastructure and other vehicles)
• Working with established manufacturers with proven safety records
• Best-in-class safety protocols
• Strategic partnerships with leading experts in Key Areas;

• Artificial Intelligence
• Human interface
• Risk assessment mitigation
• Connected vehicles
• Carbon composites
• Digital checklists

General Information:

Assembly: USA

Handling & Performance:

This is the amazing part. It is a driverless vehicle with autonomous attributes explained in the synonyms: Independent, self-directed, self-sufficient, self-governing, and sovereign.

Experts agree that Transportation-as-a-Service (“TaaS”) will disrupt widespread vehicle ownership, significantly reduce what an average consumer now spends on owning, maintaining and insuring a vehicle, and dramatically slash energy demand and tailpipe emissions by upwards of 90%.

Styling:

Futuristic. It grows on you. Follow the progress at the website www.coastautonomous.com. P-0 (Zero) was the prototype that was similar in look but the technology is the same. It is prettier with the new design, and other looks, not covered in this story, are flatbeds and other designs for moving cargo.

Fit and Finish:

Lovingly assembled in fulfillment of the designer’s dream and attended to with the same care as with a new born baby. Diapers not needed.

Cost:

Indeterminate to develop but it is anticipated to be cost effective for the consumer, even without competition.

Conveniences and comfort:

It has everything it needs for a people mover. It reminds me of my Navy days when we were moved around the base in what was disdainfully (while at the same time “lovingly”) referred to as “cattle cars”. And there was no seating in those cattle moooovers.

Consumer Recommendations:

If you are a business or Metropolitan district, college, airline, and well you know who you are, you will find the possibilities mind boggling. Another application is that it can increase mobility for the elderly and disabled if you hadn’t already thought of that.

Applications also include scheduled shuttle services, on-demand personal transportation, perimeter security and the indoor and outdoor movement and delivery of cargo and freight.

Standard Equipment:

Seating, automatic operating door openers.

Gas Stats:

No gas engine. It operates on continuously charging batteries along the prescribed route and will operate 24/7 without intervention.

Pricing:

To Be Determined based on the application.