The 20-passenger vehicle was demonstrated to the public in Margate prior to being given the award
At a ceremony held at the Turner Contemporary in Margate on Friday 22 November, Ohmio’s 20-passenger electric Lift shuttle won the Vehicle of the Year title at the Self-Driving Industry Awards 2024.
Speaking on behalf of the judging panel, Cars of the Future editor Neil Kennett, said: “At last year’s inaugural Awards, Mayor Rob Yates challenged us to get a driverless car to Margate. Better than that, we got the Vehicle of the Year winner – although they didn’t know it yet – to give locals their first taste of full self-driving. The feedback was universally positive, and the BBC was there to film it.
“Rather than an augmented version of an existing car or bus, the Ohmio Lift was designed to be self-driving from the beginning. With no driver’s seat or steering wheel, it can carry up to 20 passengers, with disabled access prioritised via an automatic ramp and dedicated wheelchair bay.
“Here in the UK, visitors to the NEC in Birmingham will soon enjoy rides as part of the government-backed SCALE project. More significantly, it will soon be on-road in Milton Keynes, as part of the StreetCAV project – supported by CCAV, Innovate UK and Zenzic – potentially providing a blueprint for nationwide deployment.”
