Using its new CityPilot technology, Daimler Buses says it’s the first manufacturer to put a city bus into automated operation in a real life traffic situation.
The Mercedes-Benz Future Bus with CityPilot drove autonomously for the first time on a 20km bus rapid transit line (BRT) in Amsterdam.
With the driver on board monitoring the system, the bus drives at speeds up to 70 km/h, stops to the nearest centimeter at bus stops and traffic lights, drives off again automatically, passes through tunnels, brakes for obstacles or pedestrians and communicates with traffic signals.
The first step towards fully automated driving with buses in urban traffic consists of BRT lines with separate lanes which is why Daimler trialled the Future Bus with CityPilot on its first journey on a section of Europe’s longest BRT line in Amsterdam.
The 20km BRT connects Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport with the city of Haarlem.
Because the Future Bus recognizes the route is suitable for automated driving it informs the driver accordingly.
The bus driver then presses a button activating CityPilot. One condition is that the driver does not press the accelerator or brake pedal and does not steer because any driver activity overrules CityPilot. However, the driver is always in charge of driving and can take over at any time.
Daimler says the advantages of BRT systems are that they are quick to establish for urban and transportation planners, as well as being inexpensive and flexible.
It says BRT systems reduce traffic as well as exhaust and noise emissions, increase journey speeds and thus improve the overall quality of life.
According to Daimler Buses, there are more than 180 BRT systems on all continents with a fleet totalling more than 40,000 buses which convey some 30 million passengers daily.
New BRT routes are being planned and designed all the time, with advice and support from Daimler Buses traffic experts in cities all over the world, providing a service that is unique in the industry.
Daimler says South America is one such market reflecting this trend, with rapidly growing metropolises making greater use of BRT systems.
