Self-driving shuttles have arrived in NYC: Optimus Ride begins trials at Brooklyn Navy Yard

Self-driving vehicle company, Optimus Ride, has launched a fleet of autonomous shuttles in New York City's Brooklyn Navy Yard for what will be the city's biggest test of self-driving tech to date. According to the company, the six self-driving cars will serve passengers only on the Navy Yards' private roads as well through a loop shuttle service connecting NYC Ferry passengers from dock 72 to a gate next to Flushing Avenue. Vehicles will operated from 7 pm until 10 pm and be chaperoned by two safety attendants -- one in the drivers seat to intervene if necessary and another in the passenger seat logging the vehicles' performance. For now, the rides will be free according to The Verge, as Optimus has received $18 million in its first round of funding and is in contract with the Navy Yard for an undisclosed sum. Optimus says its expecting to service 500 passengers per day and cater to the roughly 10,000 workers that are based there.