This is the first time a regular-sized bus has been used in driverless trials in Europe
The Spanish city of Málaga has launched an autonomous electric bus service – the first project of its kind in Europe.
Looping around an eight-kilometre stretch of the city six times a day, the 60-seater bus is equipped with sensors and cameras that use artificial intelligence to improve its decisions based on data recorded along the route.
There is a driver at the wheel to take control if necessary, as Spanish law does not currently allow vehicles to operate without one.
A handful of European cities, including Copenhagen and Hamburg, have run trials involving eight-seater driverless electric shuttles, but this is the first time a regular-sized bus has been used.
Driverless Bus Hits Streets Of Malaga In Southern Spain
02/25/21 AT 12:15 PM
A new driverless electric bus has begun operating in the southern Spanish city of Malaga, in a project presented as a first in Europe.
The bus, which began running on Saturday, is equipped with sensors and cameras and links Malaga s port to the city centre on an eight-kilometre (five-mile) loop it does six times a day. The bus knows at all times where it is and what is around it, said Rafael Durban Carmona, who heads the southern division of Spanish transport company Avanza that leads the public-private consortium behind the project.
The bus uses artificial intelligence to improve its âdecisionsâ based on data recorded along the route. The 12-metre (39ft) vehicle, which looks like a normal bus, can carry 60 passengers and was developed by the Spanish company Irizar.
Other driverless pilot projects already exist in Europe, but none of them involves a regular-size urban bus that runs on a normal street with other vehicles. Despite the advanced technology, there is a driver at the wheel to take control if necessary since Spanish law does not currently allow vehicles to operate without drivers.
âWe put it in automatic mode and it runs completely autonomously,â says Cristobal Maldonado, the driver.