As part of the World Artificial Intelligence Cannes Festival (WAICF), The Université Côte d'Azur, in partnership with Cannes Town Hall and the Cannes Lérins Conurbation, is organising an experiment in autonomous shuttle navigation around the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. Holder of a Chair in «Territories and Autonomous Shuttles», the University, through the Mediterranean Institute of Risk, Environment and Sustainable Development (IMREDD), is developing research into the issue of territorial development around intelligent and sustainable mobility, and in particular autonomous vehicles.

Autonomous vehicles to improve mobility for local residents

The government has made the development of autonomous vehicles a key element of its mobility policy, in particular to provide solutions for areas and situations where there are currently no effective public transport solutions. The national strategy for the development of autonomous vehicles, published on 15 December 2020, aims to facilitate the emergence and development of these technologies, to help the French industry position itself in this particularly buoyant market, and also to meet the challenge of the safety and acceptability of these innovations. To achieve this, the strategy relies on the players involved in this transformation: industrial and service companies and their employees, laboratories and local authorities.

Artificial intelligence paves the way for autonomous vehicles

An autonomous vehicle combines sensors, cameras and radar with artificial intelligence to drive without a human being at the controls. Using a highly heterogeneous set of data, it «learns» and adapts to all possible driving situations. Although developments in autonomous vehicles have not yet made it possible to deal with the most complex situations and guarantee all the requirements in terms of reliability and safety, this solution offers the promise of a significant reduction in traffic jams and delays, an end to human error while driving and a consequent reduction in accidents. It also makes it possible to provide a range of new services for specific target groups, for example enabling people with reduced mobility to access individual transport despite their disability.

Experimenting with autonomous vehicles on the Croisette

In 2017, at the instigation of David Lisnard, Cannes Town Hall embarked on a vast programme to embellish and redevelop the Boulevard de la Croisette. This legendary thoroughfare, which dates back to the middle of the 19th century, is an unrivalled showcase for French know-how and luxury, a venue for international events and, above all, a popular strolling destination for Cannes locals and tourists alike. Enhancing the value of the Croisette while preserving its identity, improving its aesthetics, safety, lighting and vegetation, giving more space to pedestrians, facilitating daily use and events: these are the fundamental challenges of the project initiated by Cannes Town Hall to reinvent and continue the legend of one of the most prestigious sites in the world. It is against this backdrop that Cannes town council is looking into the possibility of introducing an autonomous shuttle bus, particularly in response to the problems of travel linked to events and port-hotel-city links. To this end, Cannes Town Council is being supported by IMREDD, whose expertise will enable it to carry out a 360° analysis to gain a better understanding of the needs of users, businesses and the region in four areas: mobility, quality of life, attractiveness and space, and economic activities and services. Based on the data collected, the analysis is used to establish a model and simulate scenarios incorporating the behaviour of the players involved, the starting point for experimenting with autonomous vehicles and services. Combined with new forms of car-sharing or on-demand transport, these services encourage the introduction of new economic models in line with local mobility policies and the ability to deploy appropriate infrastructure.

Territories and Autonomous Shuttles« Chair»

Backed by the IMREDD and supported by the Fondation Université Côte d'Azur, the Chair has been developed in partnership with the Cannes Town Hall and the Cannes Lérins Conurbation. Its aim is to establish the Côte d'Azur region as a model of territorial development integrating intelligent and sustainable mobility, and in particular the autonomous shuttle, in a context as varied as the dense city to the village in the high country. It is developing experimental transport and logistics service projects for the local development of specific areas. These experiments concern short-distance transport for everyday activities, based on knowledge of the area and the study of use cases using autonomous technologies. At the heart of these experiments are the R&D issues surrounding remote supervision, cyber-security, the operating safety of the mobility system, intelligent connected infrastructures and the acceptability of the ecosystem. The Sophia Antipolis Signals and Systems Informatics Laboratory (l3S) and the TransitionS Laboratory (Transitions - Knowledge - Media - Territories) are contributing their expertise respectively on the integration of artificial intelligence technologies (machine learning, deep learning) into the autonomous vehicle and on the evaluation of the challenges and individual obstacles to the acceptability and appropriation of the autonomous vehicle by users.

Programme :

• Presentation of the prefiguration study and experimentation of autonomous shuttles in Cannes: exhibitor area of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, every day; ;
• Navigation demonstration of an autonomous passenger shuttle, in the presence of its manufacturer, the MILLA Group: Promenade de la Pantiero, departing from Place de Gaulle, Thursday 14 and Friday 15, from 11am to 5pm, compulsory registration.
• Demonstration of an autonomous logistics shuttle: at the intersection of the Promenade Robert Favre le Bret and the Esplanade Georges Pompidou, every day from 9am to 5pm.

University of Côte d'Azur was created in January 2020 as an experimental university. It has been awarded the major national label of «IDEX» initiative of excellence, which positions it among the 9 French «IDEX» universities with intensive research and strong international influence. Structured around innovative internal components with increased responsibilities for greater agility, Université Côte d'Azur backs all of its education and innovation missions with the excellence of its research. Its strong roots in the Côte d'Azur region make it one of the driving forces behind its growth model. As a founding member of the Ulysseus European alliance, the holder of one of France's four Interdisciplinary Institutes for Artificial Intelligence (3IA), and with major partnerships with leading national research players, Université Côte d'Azur aims to rank among Europe's top universities and consolidate its international dimension.

Cannes Town Hall, Cannes, a pioneer in sustainable development with the adoption of an environmental charter in 2003 and a first Agenda 21 in 2009, adopted a new Agenda 21 with concrete environmental actions at the Municipal Council meeting on 20 April 2015. Improving the environment remains a major focus of action for David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes, particularly through projects to develop clean energy and waste management, developed in collaboration with the Cannes Lérins Conurbation.

Cannes Lérins conurbation, created on 1 January 2014 and chaired by David Lisnard, brings together the municipalities of Cannes, Le Cannet, Mougins, Mandelieu-La Napoule and Théoule-sur-Mer. The Agglomération's priorities include reducing costs and improving living conditions for residents, to make the area greener, more prosperous and a place of «well-being». The Agglomération's ambition is to develop a genuine regional project based on the strong identity and heritage of its constituent communes, as well as their historical, cultural and economic heritage.

PRESS CONTACTS
Université Côte d'Azur - Delphine Sanfilippo - 07 86 84 98 13 - delphine.sanfilippo@univ-cotedazur.fr
Cannes Town Hall and Cannes Lérins Conurbation - Natacha Pellegrini - 04 97 06 41 41 - presse@ville-cannes.fr / presse@cannespaysdelerins.fr

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