A research project featuring the first U.S.-built automated bus in the United States, operating from mid-August to early October 2024 on the Pierce Stocking Drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore! Visitors may register to participate in the pilot by riding the bus. For more information about the route and times, click the book your ride button.
This research project features the first U.S.-built automated bus that meets FMVSS requirements for research projects in the United States. It will operate from mid-August to early October 2024 on the Scenic Pierce Stocking Drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore! Visitors may register to participate in the pilot by riding the bus. If you would like more information about the route and times, please click here.
Yes. A park 7-day, annual, or lifetime pass is required to ride the bus. If you do not already have one of these passes, a 7-day pass can be easily purchased through Recreation.gov to satisfy that requirement. If you have already purchased a pass for your private vehicle, you do not need to purchase another one to ride the bus.
BUY YOUR PASS ONLINE - Enjoy the convenience of purchasing a Site Pass for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Recreation.gov to cover the entrance fees for your visit.
Visitors with reservations can park in the parking lot near the entrance to the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. The bus boarding area is at the far end of this lot.
A transit bus that can drive itself! Automated Driving Systems use cameras, sensors, and advanced software to operate without the need for a human driver. This allows it to drive itself and sense other vehicles, people, objects, wildlife, and vegetation in its proximity. These systems have the potential to remove human error and are intended to offer a safer alternative to the regular driving experience. For this pilot, a trained, human safety driver will be on board at all times and prepared to take over if needed.
ADASTEC, a leading automated driving solutions provider for full-size buses and commercial vehicles based in East Lansing, Michigan, operates the pilot vehicle. The pilot uses the Vicinity Motors Lightning battery-electric bus, factory-fitted with ADASTEC's advanced sensor suite.
The Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification funded the pilot through its National Parks Michigan Mobility Challenge, a cooperative initiative with the National Park Service and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Michigan and the National Park Service are studying how the next generation of automated bus technology performs in an outdoor recreational setting, and if automated, electric transit buses have the potential to improve safety, the visitor experience, and environmental sustainability. This pilot will evaluate the potential for larger-scale deployments in other recreational or public transit settings.
1. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore website.
2. Download the NPS App for a self-guided map and tour.
3. Take a virtual tour along the drive to prepare for your visit.