Driverless ‘Pod’ vehicle goes on display in Shrewsbury’s Darwin Shopping Centre

An electric, self-driving, ‘Pod’ vehicle has gone on display in Shrewsbury’s Darwin Shopping Centre as Shropshire Council considers if such vehicles could be introduced in the town.

Manufactured by Westfield Technlogy Group the Pod vehicle doesn’t need a driver or steering wheel. It uses cutting edge technology, including sensors, to detect road conditions and obstacles in the road, to transport people in a safe and environmentally-friendly way.

The Pod vehicle will be on display at the entrance to the Darwin Centre until 31 December. A video that explains more about the Pod is playing alongside it.

With the Pod vehicle are Councillor Simon Harris; Andy Begley, director of adult services; Councillor Steve Davenport; and Emma Murdock, support analyst

Simon Harris, Shropshire Council’s deputy Cabinet member for public transport, said:

“Driverless Pods are a really interesting concept and while this is not necessarily something that will be seen on streets of Shrewsbury soon, it’s vital we explore a range of solutions to sustainable travel. We’re excited to see the Pod in the town this week and we’re keen to know if people would use this type of transport in the town.”

Steve Davenport, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and transport said:

“We’re delighted to be hosting the Pod in Shrewsbury and we’re working with Westfield to see if and how we can introduce it to the town.

“Shropshire is home to a large number of innovative, creative businesses and we want to make sure we keep pace with the phenomena that is automated electric vehicles.

“Shrewsbury is an historic gem with an incredible history and quality of place. Managing traffic and congestion has been a challenge for many years, but as we look to develop a broader range of activities and events to the town centre it’s important that we explore how we can improve the whole experience, especially for those visiting or new to the town who support our visitor economy.”

About the Westfield POD

POD (Pods on Demand) vehicles are fully autonomous, electrically driven vehicles that seat up to four people in comfort. Described as ‘last mile transport’ they have been used at Heathrow Terminal 5 since 2011 and have a reliability record of over 99% – far higher than any bus or rail system.