Magna’s automated vehicles faced construction and red light issues: city report

City of Toronto staff say Magna's automated delivery drivers may have had issues with construction signage and problems turning at a red light during a pilot project this year.

Technical difficulties have been reported during Magna International’s pilot project of its automated delivery bots in Toronto.

From confusion surrounding Toronto’s endless construction to difficulty turning right at a red light, the City of Toronto says it received a number of unsolicited reports from members of the public during the pilot that ran June until October.

“There was an instance of the vehicle not turning right on red lights,” said Jennifer Niece, manager of strategic policy and initiatives at the city’s transportation services. “Likewise, a very small number of observations at stop-controlled intersections, and in situations with construction signage where it appeared that the vehicle hesitated longer than would be necessary or would be normal for a human driver.”

She stressed that the observations were based on what was submitted by members of the public as city officials were not able to observe themselves.

“We were not invited to actively observe, although we did see the vehicles at their storage facility,” she said. “We were not involved in any observation from the vehicles in action.”

The pilot project rolled out in June, with Magna’s driverless, three-wheeled “Last Mile Delivery Device” vehicles to deliver small packages throughout several west end and downtown wards over time, including all of Ward 9 Davenport, and portions of Ward 4 Parkdale-High Park, Ward 5 York South-Weston, Ward 11 University-Rosedale and Ward 12 Toronto-St. Paul’s.

The vehicles had received a permit under federal law that allows them to be used in Canada for up to a year.

Each vehicle would have constant human oversight from a “chase vehicle,” with a supervisor on hand for immediate intervention, according to then general manager of transportation services Barbara Gray.