Boring. That’s how I’d describe riding the world’s first autonomous bus service, launched for public use in Scotland this month. And that’s precisely the point. This bus, driven by computers, not people, is just like any other bus you’d get on to go to work or the shops. Yet its plethora of sensors, cameras and computers actually make this seemingly dull journey a huge technological milestone for public transport.
I rode the bus on a media test day, but five of these autonomous buses are now in full, public, timetabled service, taking passengers on a 14-mile route across the iconic Forth Road Bridge, just outside Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh. It’s the first autonomous bus service on public roads anywhere in the world, and the buses have to navigate the perils of public roads, including other traffic, traffic signals, cyclists and pedestrians.
The organization CAVForth (the CAV part stands for “connected autonomous vehicles”) leads the project, and it says the primary benefit of its autonomous fleet will be safety. With human error causing most traffic accidents globally, autonomous vehicles are expected to be a safer presence on roads — the computers on board don’t get tired, don’t drive while intoxicated and aren’t distracted by roadside ads, screaming kids in the back, ringing phones or trying to eat a particularly big sandwich.
CAVForth also expects a 20% reduction in fuel consumption, through the more efficient driving the computer systems can achieve. This is helped by the buses communicating with traffic signals and getting alerted to upcoming red lights — the vehicles can adjust their driving speed and continue more efficiently. Though the current fleet of five buses is based on existing diesel-driven vehicles, plans include electric-drive models to further decrease emissions.
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