Coventry-based RDM Group had a surprise visitor to their display yesterday at celebrations held to mark the 50th birthday of Milton Keynes.
Driverless Pod
The Duke of Cambridge made a beeline to the firm’s driverless Pod that will shortly be commencing trials on the streets of the town as part of the UK Autodrive initiative into testing ‘first and last mile transport solutions’.
He met with Sales and Marketing Director Miles Garner, who showed him around the four-seater pod that is fitted with the company’s own autonomous control system and travels 60 miles on one charge and can do a maximum speed of 15mph.
A ‘Major Honour’
Prince William also took the opportunity to sit in the driverless vehicle and enquired about where the UK sat in relation to the rest of the world with this technology.
“This is a major honour for us and the first time we have ever had Royalty in our pods,”
explained Miles Garner.
“The Duke of Cambridge was intrigued with the technology and where they could potentially be used. We also spoke about the fact we both have daughters called Charlotte and by the time his was the same age as mine is now, driverless vehicles will be a common feature in our towns and cities.”
Trials Due to Start Soon
Initial trials of the pods are due to begin in pedestrianised areas of Milton Keynes later this year, with up to 40 pods set to be deployed across the town centre by the end of the project next summer.
UK Autodrive will also be trialling autonomous and connected road-based cars on the streets of both Milton Keynes and Coventry.
For further information, please visit www.rdmgroup.co.uk.
Pictured above: RDM’s Miles Garner showcases the company’s driverless pod to Prince William