University of Waterloo launches Canada's first driverless, autonomous 5G shuttle

The University of Waterloo is showcasing the operation of a driverless, autonomous shuttle research program that will transport students and staff around campus. The demonstration of the shuttle, dubbed "WATonoBus" by the research team, is the first of its kind at a Canadian academic institution and marks a significant milestone in a multi-year initiative to demonstrate and integrate autonomous transportation onto the campus. This milestone features another significant technological advancement, as the shuttle becomes the first in the country to operate remotely over Rogers 5G network, thanks to a Rogers partnership agreement with the University to advance 5G research in the Toronto-Waterloo tech-corridor. This past September, as Rogers expanded Canada's largest and most reliable 5G network to reach more communities, it lit up the University's 5G Smart Campus to support researchers developing 5G applications and use cases in a real-world setting. The shuttle's 5-stop, 2.7-kilometre journey around the Waterloo main campus, intersecting with the campus light rail transit stop, holds the potential to help reshape how entire communities move around their urban spaces.