Autonomous vehicle Glydways will use the Hilltop Mall parking lot to test its self-driving cars, per a 3-year agreement, according to the Hilltop District Neighborhood Council.
“As part of the deal, they will operate out of the old Sears building and utilize the parking area to conduct tests before the cars are introduced to the public in 2027,” the Council stated in a Facebook post.
It’s part of an ongoing project aiming to operate autonomous shuttles that can connect people to cities and transit hubs. A 28-mile system of Glydways is in the works to connect Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley and Pittsburg. Late last year, the City of Richmond approved a study to see if the system can connect Richmond and other West County cities to transportation hubs like the Richmond Ferry, Richmond BART and Hilltop Mall.
According to the Hilltop District Neighborhood Council, Glydways, will vacate the Hilltop Mall parking lot if revitalization plans for the mall property proceed in the next five years.
