1.

INTRODUCTION
1.1.

OVERVIEW

Urbanisation is developing at an alarming speed and will have a considerable effect on urban
traffic that will see an increase over the next few years. The solutions currently in place cannot
deal with the increase in traffic flow. By 2050, 70 % of the worlds population will be living in
towns and cities and traffic flow will reach a saturation point. Public transport is a solution to
these problems but falls short when it comes to the last miles, zones with individual needs that
are more difficult to manage. NAVYA is offering innovative 100% driverless vehicle solutions to
satisfy these expectations. NAVYA ARMA shuttles can provide transportation for people and
goods in a safe and regular manner. The NAVYA ARMA shuttles operating today are for private
sites only, but will be able to circulate freely on public roads or urban centres, legislation
pending. The NAVYA ARMA is the first vehicle designed to be completely driverless.
Incorporated into this totally original model are ten years expertise in the field and conclusions
drawn from tests carried out in several countries (Switzerland, France, USA, England and
Singapore). In terms of its look, the NAVYA ARMA has rewritten the traditional codes of vehicle
design. It is symmetrical, has neither a steering wheel nor pedals, offers 360 degree exterior
vision and interacts with its passengers by way of touchscreen technology. It is a clean vehicle
requiring no specific infrastructure and limited maintenance. The cost of a transport line
equipped with driverless shuttles is estimated 30 to 40% less expensive than a classic line. With
the launch of this vehicle, available for sale from October 2015 onwards, NAVYA is at the start
of a new era in the transportation of people and goods.

1.1.

NAVYA

NAVYA is a French company specialised in developing innovative, smart and sustainable

solutions. NAVYA develops driverless, automated electric vehicles that are independent of all
infrastructure. These vehicles are a smart mode of transport and are therefore for the benefit of
all citizens and society. The vehicle is equipped with a multitude of sensors and an embedded
system that enables it to interact with its surroundings. It is also intended to provide efficient
mobility solutions in terms of space and energy and has been built on sustainable intermodality
and multimodality. NAVYA is supported by the Robolution Capital investment fund and
presents an innovative and ambitious solution that has been developed to take up challenges laid
down by todays society. NAVYA benefits from major advances in technology in the driverless,
electric vehicle sector thanks to ten years experience in the field and a highly qualified R&D
team. Christophe Sapet, its CEO, is supported by a team of 30 people divided up between Lyon
and Paris.

2. ARMA
NAVYA ARMA is a driverless, safe, reliable and comfortable public transport vehicle that can
carry up to 15 people. It has been designed to satisfy the specific needs of a driverless vehicle
whilst optimising on navigation and safety functions. Its efficient guidance systems combine
many different types of technology including Lidars, stereo vision, GPS, infrared, IMU and
odometry. Its speed is limited but it can travel at up to 50 km/h according to requirements. There
is a remote centralised control unit that checks its movements and an emergency braking system
can be accessed if there is a problem. The NAVYA ARMA is 100% electric and operates on
inductive charging batteries with a flexible rate of durability ranging from eight to twenty four
hours. The vehicle is equipped with the latest generation in sensors to enable it to fi nd its way
around and navigate effectively. Lidars, stereo vision cameras, GPS navigation devices, GNSS
receivers and infrared sensors enable the NAVYA ARMA to position itself to within a few
centimetres from the desired target and to identify all types of obstacle on the road (fixed such as
posts or mobile such as pedestrians) or signage in both daylight and at night time. The shuttle is
adapted to handle impromptu situations and gains experience over time on a given circuit by
memorising the fixed obstacles on the route to optimise its performance. The designers behind
the NAVYA ARMA have also concentrated their efforts on the comfort of its passengers to
include a closed cab and comfortable seats to protect against climatic conditions such as rain,
cold and heat and also against the general movement when driving. Automatic doors linked to
voice information messages and information videos mean that passengers can get on and off
safely. Optimum passenger capacity is 15.

3. HISTORY

3.1 PROJECT M.I.L

M.I.L. is a bimodal electric vehicle (with or without a driver) whose goal is to evaluate and
develop the efficiency of a car-sharing service. This was done through optimized parking
manoeuvres and automated delivery of multiple vehicles.
Winner of the Intelligent Vehicle City of the Future, a call for projects by the General
Council of Yvelines, the vehicle M.I.L. was conceptualized from findings and studies on
emerging markets in urban mobility. Applications include car-sharing, urban logistics, and smallscale public transport including industrial parks, business centers, and recreation centers.
M.I.L. allows the control of a fleet of vehicles with one operator. The vehicles are equipped with
Follow-Me technology which allows for synchronous movements. A robotic arm developed by
Muses connect the vehicles. The automated conveyer technology allows for reduced costs
relating to the maintenance of car-sharing stations and optimization of movements in a
warehouse. M.I.L. can be utilized for both the transportation of people and merchandise.
M.I.L. is capable of parking itself using SLAM MOT (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping,
Moving Object Tracking) developed by NAVYA. By making use of an interactive terminal, the
driver can leave the vehicle at the parking entrance, similar to a valet service. The vehicle then
self-parks through the guidance of sensors that allow for optimal movement within the specified
area, resulting in time saved for the operator. Along with being economical and autonomous,
M.I.L. is equipped with inductive charging, allowing for quick and wireless charging without
human assistance.

3.2 PRE-SERIES VEHICLE V0

Over numerous experiments, the demo vehicle allowed NAVYA to consolidate and validate their
technology under real-world conditions. Over 5 years, the prototype travelled the world, proving
its practicality and performance in diverse situations, notably on campuses and private sites.
Being exhibited and sold until September 2015, this vehicle was the early ancestor of the
NAVYA ARMA.

2010: THE C.A.T.S. PROJECT (SWITZERLAND)

The C.A.T.S. (City Alternative Transport System) project was issued by a European project
bringing together eleven partners. The objective was to develop and test a new generation of
urban vehicles in real-world situation, bridging the gap between personal vehicles and public
transportation.
Three vehicles were operated over a course of three months at the Strasbourg Parc dInnovation.
The vehicles were later relocated for one month at the Rolex Learning Center of the Ecole
Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne.
VIEW PROJECT WEBSITE

2013: THE NTU PROJECT (SINGAPOUR)

The NTU project is a partnership with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The
objective of this collaboration was to test and optimize the autonomous shuttle, with the intention
of safe operation in Singapore. The synergy between French and Singaporean engineers allowed
for new developments in transportation technologies.
VIEW PROJECT WEBSITE

2014: THE GATEWAY PROJECT (UNITED KINGDOM)

Initiated by the British Government, the GATEWAY project had as its objective the assessment
of the feasibility and capability of autonomous vehicles to adapt to real-world constraints in a
public environment. Realized in four British towns Greenwich, Bristol, Milton Keynes, and
Coventry the tests allowed for a better understanding of the publics perception toward
potential assimilation of new technologies.

2015: EDF CIVAUX (FRANCE)

In June 2015, tests were done at EDFs Nuclear Power Plant of Civaux with the autonomous
shuttles deployed on-site. Over the course of two weeks, the shuttles transported workers under
real-world conditions. The shuttles provided a genuine, environmental and economic alternative
to classical busses for a site of this scale, providing operation at a higher frequency with less
emissions.