OKC Pushes For Driverless Streetcar Pilot Program

Autonomous street cars could be coming to Oklahoma City during a first of its program for the country.

When MAPS3 Streetcars start operations at the end of 2018, all seven cars will have drivers. But the city and its engineering advisors feel the construction going on could make OKC a great place to begin testing driverless streetcars.

"What we are exploring here is whether Oklahoma City can be the pilot project in the United States to explore automated systems on the streetcar,” says Engineering consultant Veronica Siranosian.

The idea would be to test one autonomous street car on four blocks along south Hudson next to the MAPS 3 park. That section is how street cars get to the maintenance facility and is not on the five-mile loop.

Now the focus is on paying for the three-year program. It could come privately or with the help of the U-S Department of Transportation.