But the safety of others on the road was not compromised, he said. “The vehicle never had a problem sensing pedestrians, bicycles or other vehicles. There was even a bicyclist who circled the vehicle and the vehicle was able to handle that,” Riehl said.

The next phase will be to bring on a shuttle for a longer term — perhaps as long as two years — and see how it operates in normal traffic, he said.

American Family has agreed to pay for a shuttle, at a cost of around $300,000, Riehl said. It will take another $50,000 to $100,000 to run the demonstration project for the first year. Grants or corporate contributions could help cover those costs.

There will be no cost to the city or taxpayers, Riehl said.

Madison-based American Family — whose biggest business segment is auto insurance — is “excited and proud to help make the project happen,” spokeswoman Linda Wagener said.

“The data we get will enable us to understand and learn about rapidly changing trends that impact mobility,” Wagener said. “The more involved American Family is in shaping the future, the greater the insights we’ll have into driving our business and our products.”

Still early stage