May Mobility finally starts actual in city testing (Atlanta)
In Atlanta, the Waymo/Uber service launch is imminent (likely on July 15th). A few months after Waymo/Uber announced service here, Lyft partnered with May Mobility to offer service in Atlanta as well. It appears that Lyft was desperately trying to outpace Uber. Shortly after May Mobility began L4 service on a short loop in an Atlanta suburb (Peachtree Corners) in February. And they still haven’t conducted any real-on-street in city testing. However, today, I spotted one on Northside Ave crossing Peachtree St. I couldn’t determine if there was a safety driver in the car. I even ran it through Perplexity to confirm it was a May Mobility and see if it could identify a driver. Of course, they have no chance of beating Waymo/Uber and don’t like the ICE cars at all as AV taxis, but it seems like it might happen someday.
Was going to post a picture, but not allowed. So posting a crapy video.
Perplexity:
Your image is of a Toyota Sienna minivan equipped with a prominent roof-mounted sensor suite, which matches the configuration used by May Mobility for their autonomous vehicles. May Mobility is an autonomous vehicle technology company that partners with Toyota to deploy these Sienna-based shuttles in various cities, including recent launches in places like Peachtree Corners, Georgia.
Key Points About May Mobility and the Vehicle:
Vehicle Platform: May Mobility uses the Toyota Sienna as the base for its autonomous shuttles. These vehicles are modified with May Mobility’s proprietary Autonomous Driving Kit (ADK), which includes lidar, radar, and cameras, all visible in your image.
Sensor Suite: The roof-mounted sensors in your photo are consistent with May Mobility’s setup, which typically features multiple lidars, cameras, and radars for 360-degree perception and safety.
Technology: May Mobility vehicles operate using their Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) system, which enables real-time, AI-powered decision making, allowing the vehicle to handle complex and unexpected driving scenarios safely.
Deployment: These autonomous Siennas are currently being tested and deployed in public shuttle fleets, including in Ann Arbor, MI, and Peachtree Corners, GA, among others.
Operation Mode: May Mobility’s vehicles can operate autonomously, often with a safety operator during initial deployments. In some locations, fully driverless rides are now being offered to the public.
Is This Vehicle Driving Autonomously?
Based on the sensor stack and the location (if this is in Peachtree Corners or another May Mobility pilot area), it is highly likely this vehicle is either being tested in autonomous mode or operating as an autonomous shuttle.
However, from the image alone, it is not possible to confirm if it is currently in autonomous mode or if a safety operator is present. May Mobility vehicles are designed for autonomous operation, and in some deployments, they are already running without a human driver.