North Carolina Department of Transportation

7 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 4 technical excellence with automated, connected, electric, and shared mobility technologies. In partnership with the Town of Cary, NCDOT launched another self-driving shuttle this March as part of its Connected Autonomous Shuttle Supporting Innovation (CASSI) program. The low-speed, autonomous shuttle utilizes a combination of light detection and ranging (LiDAR), cameras, and GPS technology to navigate on a fixed route. Operating at zero cost to citizens, shared autonomous mobility is helping North Carolina achieve the vision of a transportation system with convenient, reliable, affordable, clean, and safe options that provide equal access to opportunities and services. While self-driven, an attendant is on board at all times as an added safety feature to accompany the 12 mph shuttle. CASSI evaluates how shared autonomous vehicles can serve riders of diverse environments with equally diverse needs. As a First to Last mile solution, CASSI is another step forward in NCDOT has been working diligently to achieve such success; the pilot study for CASSI was initially launched in 2020 in partnership with N.C. State University (NCSU). In 2021, NCDOT achieved another milestone when it partnered with the National Park Service to launch the first autonomous shuttle in a U.S. park. Fittingly, the shuttle launched at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills – the site of the world’s first powered flight. Self-taught engineers and brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright earned the state the title of “First in Flight” at this location, altering the previous vision of mobility indefinitely. NCDOT is committed to finding innovative solutions to prepare for the future of transportation and developing a robust multimodal transportation network that equally serves all citizens of North Carolina.