Autonomous vehicles to be deployed in Clearwater Beach

Autonomous vehicles may soon drive around Clearwater Beach. 

During a city workshop meeting Monday, council members discussed an agreement between the City of Clearwater and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority to deploy autonomous vehicles in Clearwater Beach. 

While the concept of a self-driving vehicle program in Clearwater Beach is new, it is not new to the region. PSTA launched the autonomous vehicles called AVA (Autonomous Vehicle Advantage) last year in St. Petersburg in partnership with Orlando-based manufacturer Beep Inc. The vehicles have also been deployed in Dunedin. 

The AVA shuttles are equipped with multiple sensors and GPS tracking. While the vehicles are driverless, there is a co-pilot on board. 

The vehicles would be deployed by mid-December in Clearwater Beach for a three-month pilot program. The vehicles would travel on the loop on South Gulfview Boulevard, from Pier 60 to Parkway Drive, with five-passenger stops. The AVs typically use existing bus stop and pullout lanes. 

PSTA looked at deploying the vehicles in downtown or at the North Beach location, but the vehicles only travel up to 15 miles per hour, which would be a bit slow for downtown, and PSTA wants to locate them in an area with heavy pedestrian activity. Thus, Clearwater Beach became the most viable choice, a PSTA spokesman said during the meeting. 

PSTA plans to store the AVs at the Edge Hotel on South Gulfview Boulevard. Beep has installed their global navigation system on the roof of the hotel and expects to perform a mapping exercise in late October. PSTA, Beep and their contractor are in process of coordinating with the city to obtain the required electrical permit to provide power for AV charging stations at the Edge Hotel.

The AVA shuttles would operate Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. through 10 p.m. 

The city’s responsibility will be to ensure appropriate pavement markings are placed and the roadway surface is free of potholes. PSTA will coordinate with the city on installing temporary “autonomous vehicle testing” caution signs on existing speed limit signposts. 

The cost for the three-month period would be $180,000, which would be split between PSTA and Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority funds. There’s no cost to the city. 

The AVAs used for Clearwater Beach would also be the newest model, which has a built-in ramp for passengers who use wheelchairs.