Europe’s first driverless bus trial begins

Two automated driverless vehicles have begun transporting passengers in Sardinia as part of tests co-funded by the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme. The demonstrations are led by the City Mobil 2 project, which is testing automated vehicles in real-life urban environments. The two driverless buses, which can carry up to 12 passengers each, are being piloted on a busy pedestrianised seafront promenade in Oristano. The route is about 1.3 km long and has seven stops. The buses are guided by a differenti
August 15, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

Two automated driverless vehicles have begun transporting passengers in Sardinia as part of tests co-funded by the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme.

The demonstrations are led by the City Mobil 2 project, which is testing automated vehicles in real-life urban environments. The two driverless buses, which can carry up to 12 passengers each, are being piloted on a busy pedestrianised seafront promenade in Oristano. The route is about 1.3 km long and has seven stops.

The buses are guided by a differential global positioning system (DGPS) and have three levels of safety: two laser scanners on the front that detect obstacles within 30 metres; ultra-sound detectors on the front and the sides that recognise obstacles even if not in the bus’s direct trajectory; and a mechanical device that forces a stop in an emergency.

The demo, which finishes on 30 August, is organised in partnership with the Municipality of Oristano, the regional public transport operator ARST and transport planning consultancy company MLAb.

Location Based Systems Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • September 22, 2014
    ASECAP examines tolling during downturns
    ASECAP debated the impact of the financial crises on Europe’s tolling companies and considered the future in diverse economies. Colin Sowman picks some of the highlights. This year ASECAP (Association Europeenne des Concessionnaires d’Autoroutes et d’Ouvrages a’ Peage, with members in 21 countries managing 46,000km of roadway) held its annual Study & Information Days in Athens, Greece – one of the country hardest hit by recent economic problems. While the theme of the conference, Ensuring Sustainability in
    Read More
  • December 16, 2015
    Trials show fuel savings with connected vehicle technology
    American and European trials point to fuel and emissions reductions. A trial by University of California-Riverside (UC-Riverside) has shown connected vehicle technology has the potential to reduce fuel consumption (and therefore emissions) by up to 18% compared with an uninformed driver.
    Read More
  • December 18, 2012
    New large-scale initiative towards Europe smart cities
    The Smart Cities Stakeholder Platform, part of the Smart Cities and Community Partnership, which was launched by the European Commission in early 2012, works as an advisory body for the EU’s leading research initiative on the future of cities. Members include technology producers, energy providers and urban visionaries. The open-invitation group is already 1,000 members strong, and is currently building a database of high-tech solutions to help build the smart cities of tomorrow. The ideas, coming from the
    Read More
  • October 2, 2012
    Success of first eCall tests in Greece
    Greece has successfully completed the first tests of its automatic emergency call system, eCall, within the framework of the eCall pilot national research project, a European initiative intended to bring rapid assistance to motorists involved in a collision anywhere in the European Union. eCall uses a device installed in vehicles that will automatically dial 112 (the pre-assigned European emergency number) in the event of a road accident and wirelessly send airbag deployment, impact sensor information and G
    Read More

Highlighted Content