Perrone Robotics passes one year of autonomous public transit service in Detroit
The CONNECT service provides an operating reference for Perrone’s Ford E-Transit autonomy integration.
Perrone Robotics announced on 12 November 2025 that Detroit’s CONNECT autonomous transit service had passed one year of operation. Launched in August 2024, the fleet uses Ford E-Transit vans fitted with Perrone’s TONY autonomy kit and MAX software.
The service operates on a route exceeding 10 miles between the Rivertown Warehouse District, downtown Detroit and Corktown, stopping at community destinations, grocery stores and entertainment centres. Perrone said routes and ridership had grown since launch, without publishing a passenger or mileage total in the release.
The initial $1.5 million contract covered vehicle operations, technology integration and ongoing support. The accessible electric vans provide an operating reference for Perrone’s vehicle-conversion approach to autonomous transit. The milestone records the duration of service; it does not establish a disclosed intervention rate or an absence of human supervision.