In April 2018, Québec amended legislation that authorized
the implementation of pilot projects for autonomous vehicles.1 This led to two novel projects: a public
bus in the city of Candiac and a shuttle in Montréal's
Olympic Park. Two years later, what has come of these projects? How
did the public respond and what lessons have we learned from them?
This article provides an overview of the two pilot projects
implemented in Québec, and how they are paving the road for
the future of driving (or, rather, not
driving).
Candiac: an electric bus to promote public transportation
The Candiac project marks the first autonomous vehicle to
circulate freely on public roads in Canada. According to
André Fortin, Minister of Transport, it is the first of many
projects we are likely to see in the coming years.2