Largest autonomous, electric vehicle fleet deployment in the US to provide playbook for future rollouts

Leading global design firm Stantec’s autonomous vehicle team, GenerationAV™, has been selected to create a playbook from the deployment process of the largest electric autonomous vehicle (AV) fleet in the US. Launched in Golden yesterday by the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance, the AvCo Program is designed to improve public transportation using low-speed, connected autonomous and electric shuttles. Plans include scaling the fleet program to two other Colorado cities in the near future. AvCo will form the basis of an education program called City Forward, developed by Stantec, which will serve as a roadmap to accelerate the adoption of AV programs in other cities across the world.

CityForward will draw from the real-time data and deployment experience of AvCo to form the basis of a new set of best practices, including lessons learned, pitfalls to avoid, and key accomplishments, all rooted in the deployment process from the GenerationAV Deployment Playbook. The program will provide the information and methodologies to guide planning, assessment, deployment, and oversight of automated transit projects. The CityForward playbook will be delivered via an interactive online learning platform, and the extended CityForward offerings will include real-time data visualizations, customizable workshops, and hands-on educational learning options.

“The CityForward program has the potential to catapult AV adoption forward,” said Corey Clothier, Founder and Director of Stantec GenerationAV. “Working with our partners, the entire deployment is set up as a living lab to develop best practices to be packaged and shared. This will be the most extensive learning experience from an AV deployment program to date, which may even allow some to skip the pilot phase and move straight to long-term program planning.”

The Colorado Smart Cities Alliance is leading a unique blend of partners under a public-private model, while AV technology developer EasyMile is leading the technical aspects of the AvCo deployment. The unique nature of the partnership has been one of the drivers in the speed of the deployment. GenerationAV experts have been embedded in the group documenting and synthesizing the process from the early stages of pre-deployment for the CityForward education program.

“AvCo is a historic step forward for many important industries, including connected and autonomous vehicles, public transportation, and smart cities,” said Tyler Svitak, Executive Director of the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance, the nonprofit at the center of the AvCo program. “What we learn here will help accelerate safer, cleaner, more accessible mobility for all.”

The first two courses focusing on pre-deployment activity will be published later this summer, while additional phases will be rolled out over the life of AvCo, which is projected to last through 2022. Educational perspectives on both the overall program and more detailed, specific use cases will be included in CityForward.

Find out more about CityForward here.

Stantec GenerationAV is currently involved in numerous deployment projects, including the GoMed AV Program connecting to the Las Vegas Medical District.

To find out more about the AvCo program, visit avco.city. Learn more about Stantec GenerationAV™.

About Stantec

Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That's why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind.

We're designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.

Stantec trades on the TSX and the NYSE under the symbol STN. 

For more information about Stantec’s response to COVID-19, visit Responding to COVID-19.

About The Colorado Smart Cities Alliance

The Colorado Smart Cities Alliance is a statewide organization that brings together government, businesses and allied organizations to improve life for all Coloradans through creation of innovative technology partnerships. The organization accelerates civic innovation in Colorado through Partnership Building, Research, Education and Consulting. Learn more about the Alliance, its partners, research and current projects at http://coloradosmart.city.

Media Contacts

Colin Nekolaichuk
Stantec Media Relations
Ph (437) 225-6384
colin.nekolaichuk@stantec.com

Tyler Svitak
Colorado Smart Cities Alliance
Ph (720) 292-0360
tyler@coloradosmart.city