WHILL autonomously transports passengers at 1st North American airport

Analysis:
Passengers with reduced mobility are one of the fastest-growing demographics in the airline industry. This can make it difficult for airports to meet the additional demands that come with accommodating their needs. By transporting passengers to their gates, the WHILL autonomous power chair relieves demands on the airline of providing manual wheelchair push services, while helping passengers maintain more independence. The autonomous chair service has been tested in several U.S. airports, including Atlanta, San Jose and Grand Rapids, and others around the world. WHILL’s autonomous mobility chair has been tested through several trials at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport since 2019. The application of transporting people around an airport with an autonomous robot is a novel concept with plenty of room for future growth. – Steve Crowe