USA / Canada – North America’s largest bus and coach builder, New Flyer of America Inc (New Flyer) of St Cloud, Minnesota, USA - a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc (NFI) of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - has announced it will deploy North America’s first automated heavy-duty transit bus as part of a demonstration of automated driving technology led by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) with funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the IMI initiative*. Three, 40ft battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE heavy-duty transit buses to be delivered to Connecticut Transit this year.

The project is focused on the successful demonstration of automated technology on public roads, collection of relevant data to inform future policymaking, and advancement of Advanced Driving Assist System (ADAS) technology for enhanced safety. The zero-emission electric buses will demonstrate Society of Automotive Engineers (“SAE”) J3016 Level 4 technology with an on-board safety attendant to operate on the CTfastrak bus rapid transit corridor, a dedicated nine-mile-long facility for exclusive use by CTtransit buses between Hartford and New Britain, Connecticut, USA.