A coach without a driver at the wheel is not a distant future. From Asia to the United States, intensive testing is taking place and there is even a limited commercial operation with autonomous vehicles. The sector faces major challenges as there is no uniform technology yet. It will also take some getting used to by transport companies and passengers. Legally, many questions remain. At Busworld, several exhibitors are showing how far they have come.
On the way to autonomous driving: the technology is already highly advanced. It will take less than a decade before passengers will step into a coach without a driver. Public transport will undoubtedly be the first to operate with autonomous vehicles because these will run on designated routes – read safe routes – under strict supervision. Innovation in transport is a necessity, but safety comes first. Autonomous transport can also contribute to safer traffic. The European Union expects much from driverless transport, which is expected to help achieve the goal of zero accidents by the year 2050.
The software and equipment for autonomous driving are extremely expensive, but in time this investment will pay off with safer, more efficient and, for the operator, more economically advantageous transport. For now, it is still undecided which technology delivers the best results.
Imagry is a company developing autonomous driving software and has opted for its own approach. Instead of working with pre-programmed high-resolution maps, it uses algorithms based on visual input from the route. For hardware, Imagry uses various cameras but no expensive sensors such as LiDAR radar. This company, with offices in the United States and Israel, now operates an autonomous mini-coach on an 8-kilometre route in Nahariya, Israel. The vehicle will carry 32 passengers at speeds below 50 km/h. For the time being, there is still a safety driver present.
Trial runs are taking place across several continents, usually with a driver still on board to intervene if necessary. Turkish manufacturer Otokar has successfully completed tests in Hungary with its e-Centro, which is ready for type approval. The autonomous bus is equipped with advanced sensors and artificial intelligence for detecting obstacles, traffic lights and road markings, as well as adaptive cruise control. It also detects passengers waiting at the stop.
Turkish manufacturer Karsan is also ready for autonomous driving. In cooperation with an American tech company, it has developed a system based on LiDAR, radar, thermal cameras and ultrasonic sensors for navigation and environment detection. The bus is in use on a tunnel route in Stavanger, Norway. In Rotterdam, an autonomous coach has recently become operational for public transport on a route of more than 4 kilometres to the airport. A safety driver is still on board. The Autonomous e-Atak will also transport passengers in Paris.
With cloud-based technology, Chinese manufacturer Yutong enables its vehicles to drive autonomously, using a 5G network. The Witgo system allows for intelligent urban mobility, such as remote vehicle control. Yutong already has considerable expertise. Ten years ago, the first tests were carried out with an autonomous coach on a motorway over a distance of no less than 32.6 kilometres.
In the Belgian university city of Leuven, autonomous driving is reality. Self-driving mini-coaches will, from mid-November this year, follow a fixed route between Leuven and Heverlee railway stations. The vehicles are supplied by Chinese technology company WeRide. They are already in use in China and are being tested in Zurich, Valence, Barcelona and Paris. In Leuven, a trained steward will ride along to intervene if necessary.
In many countries, Level 4 autonomous driving is permitted under strict conditions. There is strict regulation for self-driving vehicles. Legally, much still has to be clarified. In addition, the emotional interaction between user and vehicle also plays an important role. After all, passengers will need to get used to being transported in a coach without a driver. Trust in the technology is based on high-quality products. The passenger transport sector must do everything possible to guarantee safety. The latest coaches show that we are on the right track.