An autonomous or self-driving bus service will start operating next week in Edinburgh, the first of its kind in the UK, although the vehicles will still have staff able to take over in an emergency.
He stated to France Press agency Peter Stevens, President of Stagecoach, during a demonstration near Edinburgh.
The UK’s independent bus service on this new 22km route, west of the Scottish capital, is expected to carry around 10,000 passengers per week.
Its five buses, which will be able to travel at speeds of up to 50 km/h, will still have a driver on board to check that the technology is working properly. British legislation does not yet allow self-driving vehicles to cycle on public roads.
Another agent will review tickets and answer users’ questions.
The onboard AI system will detect other vehicles on the road and cameras and radar will scan the road to avoid pedestrians.
According to Stephens, the service will be safer and more efficient, with fuel savings of up to 20%. “The system can respond faster than the human reaction time,” he explained.
The more buses that operate, he added, the more data they will collect to keep “improving independent travel time”.
He said that this service is “something new and exciting to see as part of our technological revolution.” France Press agency Bus driver Callum Jones.
In 2021, a driverless electric bus will be put into operation in the Spanish city of Malaga, a project considered pioneering in Europe.
Tests also took place in South Korea the same year and in Singapore in early 2023.
With information from Agence France-Presse.