Project channels $1.98 million in federal funding to install, test, operate, and evaluate Perrone's TONY™ ADAS Kit, equipping legacy fleets with collision avoidance, lane-keeping, and other safety enhancements.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. and WADSWORTH, Ohio, May 21, 2025 -- Perrone Robotics Inc. and NEORide, a council of governments representing more than 30 U.S. transit agencies, today announced a landmark Vehicle-Agnostic Kit Services Agreement to retrofit six 35-foot Gillig buses in Ohio with Perrone's TONY™ ADAS Retrofit Kit. The project is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant program.
The upgraded buses will be deployed by three NEORide members—Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA), Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA), and Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA)—bringing cutting-edge driver-assistance capabilities to riders and operators across the region.
Safety and Efficiency—Delivered Today
The TONY™ ADAS Kit integrates with existing buses, combining advanced sensors with Perrone's MAX® autonomy software to provide:
- Forward Collision Avoidance and Automated Emergency Braking (AEB)
- Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane-Keeping Assistance
- Blind Spot Detection and Side-Impact Alerts
- Intersection management support, pedestrian protection, and data logging
Under this program, each bus will be outfitted with Forward Collision Avoidance, Lane-Keeping Assistance, Adaptive Cruise Control, advanced warnings, and a data logging platform with expandable modules for future features.
By retrofitting rather than replacing vehicles, agencies gain immediate safety benefits while maximizing taxpayer value.
Paul Perrone, Founder & CEO, Perrone Robotics:
"TONY allows transit systems to leap from legacy to leading-edge safety in weeks, not years. This SMART Grant proves we can deliver collision avoidance, lane keeping, and more today—without requiring agencies to purchase new fleets. We're proud to partner with NEORide, BCRTA, SARTA, and WRTA to help make Ohio's buses among the safest on the road."
Katherine Conrad, Executive Director, NEORide:
"Our mission is to bring innovative, cost-effective mobility solutions to the communities we serve. By pooling federal resources, three transit agencies are deploying life-saving ADAS technology at the cost of a retrofit—setting a national standard for modernizing fleets and demonstrating the power of regional collaboration."
Project Timeline and Industry Impact
Over the course of the project, Perrone will integrate and commission all six buses, train agency staff, and deliver performance data to USDOT evaluators. This initiative lays the foundation for broader adoption of TONY ADAS retrofits by additional NEORide members and transit agencies nationwide.
About Perrone Robotics
Perrone Robotics is a pioneer in autonomous vehicle and ADAS technologies, offering the TONY™ Vehicle-Agnostic Retrofit Kit and MAX® software platform to transform virtually any vehicle into a safer, smarter machine.
About NEORide
NEORide is a regional council of governments formed to expand transportation options through cooperative agreements among member agencies, leveraging collective purchasing and federal funding to deploy cutting-edge mobility solutions.
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