With just nine days to go for the 19th Asian Games, the organizers on Thursday unveiled the Intelligent Shuttle that boasts of seamless driverless transport in the busiest zones during the Games, starting September 23 in Hangzhou.
Situated in the Zhejiang province of east-China, the city is utilizing diverse technologies to conduct a Smart Asian Games even as the organizers also announced the opening of official operations of the media and technical officials’ village for the mega event.
“This Intelligent Driving Vehicle for the Asian Games, connecting the main media centre to the Asian Games Village, offers seamless smart transport in the busiest zones for thousands of media persons, athletes, and staff members during the Asian Games,” the organizers posted on social media.
According to reports, delegates from Hong Kong were among the first to get a taste of the Games village as they touched down for the delegation registration meetings over the weekend. The village pre-opened on Saturday (September 9) and was officially opened on Wednesday.
“The Media Village and Technical Officials Village of the Asian Games Village started official operation yesterday. The first group of journalists and technical officials arrived and smoothly completed check-in procedures,” according to the official website.
The Asian Games Village includes the Athletes’ village, Media village and Technical Officials’ village. According to the organisers, it can accommodate around 20,000, with 10,400 beds in the Athletes’ village, 5,000 in the Media village and 4,000 in the Technical Officials’ village. The National Olympic Committees were also briefed about accommodation, transportation, and assistants.
Covering an area about 660,000 square meters, the village will provide accommodation, catering, leisure and entertainment services for the media personnel during the Asian Games. The Asian Games village has six restaurants in total, which are expected to open 20 hours a day from the opening to the closing day of the Games.
A total of 12,417 athletes and 4,975 officials from 45 countries are expected to arrive in Hangzhou for the multi-sport event, set to conclude on October 8.