The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) has launched an autonomous electric passenger shuttle service at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu.
These new shuttles will expand the existing Wiki Wiki shuttle bus service at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), providing an additional option for people travelling between gates and terminals.
The fleet has been named Miki, the Hawaiian word for agile.
Hawai‘i Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen said:We are proud to launch the Miki shuttle service which will provide additional convenience for our airport users. The autonomous electric vehicles add to our ongoing progress to transition our vehicle fleet to electric vehicles and will help meet the state’s sustainability goals.
Throughout this 18-month pilot project, HDOT and its partners will evaluate ways to increase the efficiency of the intra-airport transportation service.
With four autonomous shuttles, two vehicles will continuously operate along the Wiki Wiki bus route between the C and G gates and Terminals 1 and 2. Passengers can board the Miki shuttle with their carry-on baggage on the third level.
The electric shuttles, services and software have been supplied by Beep. Each Miki shuttle can hold 11 passengers. They are also ADA-accessible and can accommodate one wheelchair.
The shuttles will operate at a maximum speed of 10 miles per hour. They will be driven autonomously, but an attendant will remain on board at all times during the pilot.
Joe Moye, chief executive officer at Beep said:We applaud our partners at Hawaiʻi DOT, Sustainability Partners and the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) for their innovative integration of advanced autonomous mobility solutions in this pioneering project. Through this collaboration, Beep will leverage its national experience in deploying and proving out these rapidly evolving technologies across multiple states and communities, while emphasizing our unwavering approach to safety and sustainability. Together, we’re enhancing accessibility and ensuring mobility for all.
In launching this autonomous electric passenger shuttle service, HDOT continues its mission to reduce the state’s reliance on fossil fuels.
This builds on HDOT’s collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where it launched its first autonomous electric passenger shuttle as part of the University’s Rainbow Shuttle service to transport students and staff around campus.
