Autonomous, driverless pods are being trialled in the UK with members of the public being able to travel without supervision.
These autonomous transport pods are being tested this week at Cribbs Causeway mall in Gloucestershire. The vehicles are being trialled by AECOM, an infrastructure company that's worked with various partners to develop these vehicles.
Before the public trials, the pods have been run through various rigorous safety tests led by Loughborough University. Now they're available for public use until 26 January. The data collected during the tests will be used to inform future research and development of autonomous vehicles.
This isn't the first time autonomous pods have been tested in the UK. In 2015, another project known as LUTZ Pathfinder was run in Milton Keynes using small electric pods capable of carrying two people at a max speed of 15mph. Similarly, in 2016, driverless pods were being tested in the streets of Singapore.
These tests are designed to establish how autonomous pods can be used safely on public roads. The pods use a number of sensors and radar systems to process data on their surroundings - moving around the environment while accounting for pedestrians, cyclists and more.
This new test will also help gauge the general public's reaction to this new transport medium which it is hoped will be the norm on public roads in the near future.