Turin launches unmanned car tests: the first city in Italy, tests also in the center

Two phases planned, as well as the test areas. The first, at Mirafiori Sud, around the Fca and Tne factories, will be done without traffic and will also serve to check, in addition to cars, the technological infrastructure needed to move cars in the city. The next step will be to browse the cars on the track whose layout is being defined, but which should trace the areas indicated in the project also delivered to the car manufacturers who signed the pact with the City. The track will be marked by signs warning pedestrians and drivers of the presence of unmanned cars

Chrysler Pacifica in a version self-driving produced by FCA

At first, the cars will only move at night and escorted by the police: "If these first tests go as we hope, we will spend the diurnal hours with little traffic. "Holidays, such as Sunday or anyway when traffic related to the world of work and students will be close to zero.The last step, still being defined, will be the" free movement ": "Our goal is to offer an attractive offer to builders who will be able to test their cars in an environment very different from that of the United States – says the advisor – here it is an urban context European, with traffic and interaction with pedestrians who have not yet been tested. "

Advisor Paola Pisano

The ban on the Ministry of Transport will soon published and interested companies will have to apply and indicate Turin as the chosen city.In addition to FCA and GM, Italdesign (Volkswagen Group) and Mercedes-Daimler have also joined the Piedmont proposal: "We hope that all these houses can test their cars Autonomous here – adds Pisano – We want to attract innovation to the interior of the city and we will not stop at drones and autonomous cars. "

The idea that cars that drive are free to travel around the city is still futuristic, but this project will also serve the infrastructure. Even if unmanned vehicles do not arrive tomorrow, all vehicles in a short period of time will still have to interact with the sensors installed on the roads to choose routes less frequented or better adapted to the needs of the motorist. .

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