Local Motors Olli
Olli self-driving shuttle bus to operate on ITC-ILO campus.
Olli, Local Motor’s self-driving, 3D printed electric bus begins a four month trial period today on the ITC-ILO (The International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation) campus in Turin.
Employees of and visitors to the United Nations' ITC-ILO will now be able to travel between campus sites on board the self-driving shuttle which will gather data and insight from operating in real urban conditions.
The trial is the result of a collaboration between ITC-ILO, Reale Mutua, Local Motors and the City of Turin, which was named one of the winners of Local Motors' Olli Fleet Challenge to determine the best short-term urban use case for testing the bus.
Olli was first put on the road in 2016 following development by Local Motors, the company which manufactured the Strati car using Cincinnati Inc.’s Big Area Additive Manufacturing in less than two days, to deliver a smart, safe and sustainable method of transport for urban areas. The Olli is said to include 80% 3D printed parts while a number of other parts were made using 3D printed moulds. It also promises minimal environmental impact due to a clean energy supply from project partner IREN.
Yanguo Liu, ITC-ILO Director, said: "Since 1964, the International Training Center (ITC-ILO) has had the mission of building decent work conditions and social justice for all. The Olli deployment is an example of how the world of work is changing every day under the pressure of technological, social and environmental innovation factors, and therefore is an excellent opportunity for us to explore the dynamics of the 'future of work,' the context in which we will be called to continue our mandate."
Olli's deployment at the United Nations campus will also involve a support team consisting of young citizens and university students. Olli is designed to be easily accessible to all and is being further explored in collaboration with Turin's disability manager office.
Marco Pironti, Councillor for innovation of the Municipality of Turin added: "The mobility of the future implies a necessary paradigm shift, which goes far beyond technology. It has new impacts on environmental sustainability and for citizens, new value-added services - such as new insurance models - forms of collaboration between innovation and ecosystem partners, new production systems such as additive manufacturing and 3D printing, new skills to be created and professionalism to be defined. The systemic vision that characterises this trial makes us proud. Our 'Turin City Lab' innovation strategy can only aspire to grow with international projects like this, making our city a fertile and attractive place/city for ideas, innovation and investments for local and foreign players. Welcome to Turin, Olli."