Navya, a French autonomous electric vehicle maker, and French transport group Keolis have partnered with the city of Las Vegas to bring an electric, fully autonomous shuttle to the streets of Nevada state.

Navya’s Arma vehicle, which carries up to a dozen passengers, will be piloted in downtown Las Vegas’ Fremont East Entertainment District until 20 January. During the pilot, the public will be invited to take free test rides of the self-driving shuttle.

“This pilot marks an important milestone in bringing us closer to our shared vision of delivering public mobility solutions that are both connected and sustainable,” said Clement Michel, CEO of Keolis North America. “We are pleased to be showcasing this exciting new technology here in Las Vegas with our partners at the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTCSN), as we work together to deliver energy efficient, sustainable transit solutions that will improve the quality of life for people in Nevada and around the world.”

The city of Las Vegas, under Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman, says it has plans to ‘transform the downtown urban core into a technology incubator focused on safe, efficient, sustainable and environmentally conscious mobility including autonomous and connected vehicles’.

Henri Coron, Navya VP, said: “Navya is delighted to be part of the innovative, new model of urban transportation solutions Mayor Goodman and our transportation partners at Keolis are bringing to the city of Las Vegas. Busy areas such as the Fremont East Entertainment District of downtown Las Vegas are the perfect place for the Arma…”