3-D Printing Company Unveils Self-Driving Shuttle Bus

Local Motors Inc. has developed a 3-D-printed, self-driving electric shuttle bus that it plans to test on public roads late this year.

The vehicle, which is dubbed Olli and can carry 12 people, uses more than 30 sensors to monitor its surroundings. The data is analyzed by IBM Corp.’s Watson Internet of Things for Automotive cloud-based computing technology.

As part of its open vehicle development process, sensors will be added and adjusted as passenger needs and local preferences are identified, the Phoenix-based company says.

The platform also leverages several Watson-based application program interfaces to enable voice commands and speech-to-text capabilities. Passengers will be able to interact conversationally with the vehicle, which the company says can answer questions about travel time, local destinations, vehicle functions and its decision-making process.

Local Motors demonstrated the shuttle bus this week at the opening of its new facility in National Harbor, Md. The company plans to build several more Olli prototypes and pilot test them on pre-set routes in Denmark, Las Vegas, Miami and Washington, D.C., this year.

Powered by a 30-kW electric motor, the 3,300-lb vehicle can travel at speeds of 12 mph with a 32-mile driving range. During testing, an on-board conductor will monitor the vehicle and can take control if necessary. Local Motors says it will assume liability in case of an accident.

Like Local Motors’ previous concept vehicles, the Ollie bus is produced in part by a 3-D printing process in which hundreds of material layers—a mix of aluminum and steel in this case—are stacked together to form the structure. It plans to incorporate IBM’s Watson technology in other future models as they are being developed.

Founded in 2007, Local Motors is funded by 40 private investors.