Self-driving buses may be deployed on public roads in Singapore relatively soon, with a plan newly revealed by the city-state’s Ministry of Transport reportedly calling for such a deployment onwards from 2022. The initial deployment will reportedly be in 3 different districts within Singapore, with the idea being to improve transportation sector “connectivity” there.
Self-driving vehicles — 2 years out? 20 years out? How about today? Hot news out of Germany is that a self-driving minibus is now in operation in Bad Birnbach, Lower Bavaria, Germany. There are two things I love about this story, but first, a few more details …
The US-based electric bus pioneer Proterra has now begun what it has described as the industry’s “first” self-driving bus program. Its partners include the University of Nevada–Reno and the company’s Living Lab Coalition partners — amongst which are the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI, the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County (RTC), the Nevada Governor’s Office for Economic Development, and the cities of Carson City, Sparks, and Reno.
A new autonomous bus pilot project has been launched in Singapore. The new driverless bus trial is to be based around routes between Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and CleanTech Park, and also possibly the Pioneer MRT station.
A new autonomous passenger bus shuttle service has been launched in Sion, Switzerland — the first “endurance” test of an autonomous passenger service in the world, according to those involved. (Hat tip to Craig Morris for the news.) The recent launch event for the PostBus Smart shuttles was attended by Mayor Marcel … [continued]
Mercedes-Benz recently unveiled its new “Future Bus with CityPilot” — an upgrade of the company’s Highway Pilot technology — which allows buses to autonomously drive more than 12 miles in a congested urban environment, according to recent reports. The technology was demonstrated recently on a bus-rapid-transit (BRT) route from Schiphol Airport in … [continued]
While one may not immediately think of modern Greece as being at the forefront of current technological developments, a new driverless bus pilot project is actually underway in the Greek city of Trikala, according to reports. The pilot marks one of the first times that an autonomous bus system is being … [continued]
Self-driving buses will be arriving in California in 2016. Well, in a very limited fashion anyways — a suburban office park in San Ramon, California, will be playing host to a pilot project that aims to further the deployment of the technology. The pilot project will see the French company … [continued]
Congested cities, troubling unemployment due to the absence of transit, and environmental issues from automobile pollution all point towards the need for much greater development of mass transportation. Even as transit ridership is growing to all time highs, the US is short on extensively developed systems that reach the many … [continued]
