Houston METRO was a recipient of a $1.47 million Federal Transit Administration Accelerating Innovative Mobility grant to develop Phase II of the University District project. This program includes an automated vehicle (AV) pilot project that will help Houston METRO understand the challenges and opportunities presented by AV shuttles by studying interactions between riders, pedestrians, and other vehicles.

STV was selected to develop and deploy a mid-size Level 4 AV zero-emission shuttle to serve as a first and last mile community link that will connect the greater Third Ward with the Texas Southern University campus. The selected routes will increase student mobility and better connect underserved communities to food, jobs, health care, and education opportunities in the region.