Now other countries could see similar shuttles in use as Milla, the company behind them, wants to expand internationally as well as roll out a larger model.

A dozen vehicles are already on the road in Vélizy-Villacoublay, Aix-en-Provence and Nice as part of experiments covering a few kilometers.

For the time being, these autonomous shuttles (level 4) only run on predefined routes, mapped in advance and at low speeds of around 30 km/h.

Milla works mainly with local authorities to provide transportation services in under-served or poorly served areas. In fact, a mobile application is all that is needed to order a ride.

The Milla Pod then arrives at a meeting point and offers different destinations within a radius of about ten kilometres. Inside the vehicle, there is an information screen and USB sockets to recharge your various electronic devices.

Currently, two models exist, which can transport either 6 (Milla Pod) or 16 people (Milla Shuttle).

Each one has a driver’s seat so that it can be brought manually to its operating area. In the future, a goods transport version is also planned.

These vehicles are built in Le Mans, France, and Milla intends to export its technology, with projects underway in Montreal, Canada and Brussels, Belgium.