Rhode Island has launched a fleet of small autonomous vehicles that will serve as a new shuttle service in Providence. The “Little Roady” shuttle, as it is known, runs along a five-mile loop, making it the longest public transit use of autonomous vehicles in the country. Instead of running along a closed track, as many self-driving vehicles do now in testing mode, the Providence shuttle will travel on city streets along with the usual traffic.

The experimental service will be free and operate from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., seven days a week. It will operate from the Providence Train Station to the Olneyville section of the city with 12 stops and a projected wait time of just 10 minutes. The shuttle will link train and bus service at the Providence station to an existing bus terminal in Olneyville, an area of the city currently not well served by public transit.

The $1.2 million green energy pilot project is funded, in part, with money from the Volkswagen emissions testing scandal settlement.

Besides carrying passengers, the six-seater electric powered shuttles, which have been compared to oversized golf carts, will be the subject of research designed to improve transit and provide information for communities and policymakers considering adopting new autonomous vehicle technology.

“The project will provide valuable data for states across the country as we move beyond conventional transit services to provide better, cleaner and more accessible transportation for all," said Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo.

Although the vehicles are described as self-driving, there is a “fleet attendant" in every car to ensure safety. But for the most part, these cars do drive themselves.

The shuttle vehicles are made by Michigan based May Mobility Inc., which entered into a public-private partnership with Rhode Island’s DOT last year following a competitive bid process. The suite of sensors and software used to help the vehicle understand its environment and how to safely navigate city streets was made by a Rhode Island based company called KVH industries, of Middletown.

The fleet of shuttles underwent 500 hours of testing at Quonset Point and in Providence this winter, which included detailed mapping so the machines know every inch of their route and how to operate in a variety of traffic and weather conditions.