After a very (very!) busy month running the Project Endeavour autonomous vehicle (AV) trials here in Greenwich alongside Oxbotica, we’re only just beginning to catch our breath. The trial was a hugely exciting and insightful experience and we are grateful to the support of our project partners, as well as the members of the public who joined in! So today on the blog, we’re reflecting on this eventful August and discussing all things Endeavour trials!
Receiving in-depth and informed feedback from the public is a crucial component of both Project Endeavour as well as DG Cities’ broader ethos of a people-first approach to implementing new technology. After nearly 18 months of digital-only communication, it was fantastic to be able to resume in-person discussions with the public. Our Head of Research & Service Design, Ed Houghton, interviewed over 40 participants at the trial, whose insights will add to our growing body of research and will directly help us to design future AV services that work for everyone.
Over 120 members of the public got a chance to take a ride in an AV, and the feedback has offered us tremendous insights around both the trials themselves and the tech. Some of our favourite responses have included:
“We loved how the trial was organised. The presentations before the actual experience in the car were very interesting and complimentary to it. The safety personnel were very helpful too.”
“Very well run trial, good quality advance information, informative on site, really enjoyed it and helped me understand some of the technology and the possible applications better.”
That’s exactly what we hoped these trials would deliver: an engaging and accessible opportunity for members of the public to learn about autonomous vehicles, and in turn, help to demystify this technology.
While the report for our Project Endeavour trial findings isn't set to be released until October, Ed shared some initial reflections with us based on his discussions with participants, and found that:
Safety is a key priority for people
Demonstrations really help to demystify the technology
Visualisations and other functionality should play a role in future services
You can read more about Ed’s thoughts on this in his Linkedin post, here.
We may be a little tired, but more than anything we are thrilled that the trials ran smoothly, safely and successfully. Thank you again to all who participated and shared their invaluable insights with us - you are helping to shape the very future of mobility!