Smart bus is the first to land before the family _ the future can be expected
Smart driving buses, unlike personal vehicles, operate in more controlled and predictable environments, making them a likely early adopter of autonomous technology before fully self-driving cars hit the consumer market. However, significant challenges remain at both the technical and legislative levels. While companies like Tesla, Waymo, and Cruise have made impressive strides in autonomous driving, none have achieved full driverless operation yet. Even at the highest levels of smart driving, human intervention is still required.
General Motors (GM) has set its sights on the next big leap in transportation. In 2017, it was reported that the U.S. government planned to allow fully autonomous vehicles on the road by 2019, with no steering wheel, accelerator, or brake pedal. GM also ranked first in Navigant Research’s 2017 Autonomous Driving Competitiveness Rankings, showing its strong position in the industry.
Alongside personal vehicle development, public transportation is also exploring autonomous solutions. One notable example is the "Alphaba" smart bus, which created a buzz in South China last year. In December, Alphaba began trial operations in the Futian Free Trade Zone of Shenzhen. According to international standards, Alphaba operates at Level 3 autonomy, meaning it can handle most driving tasks but still requires a human to take over when needed.
Although it's still far from Level 5 fully autonomous driving, Alphaba marks a significant step forward for intelligent transportation in the region. The company behind Alphaba, Hailiang Technology, focuses on electrification, intelligence, and network integration in the bus industry. Recently, Hailiang signed a strategic partnership with Scania, a leading European manufacturer of commercial vehicles, to develop autonomous driving solutions for buses.
Scania chose to collaborate with Hailiang because it sees potential in applying autonomous technology to public transport, where fixed routes make control easier compared to private cars. Additionally, as labor shortages become more common, especially in Europe, autonomous buses could help address workforce challenges while improving safety and efficiency.
Hailiang plans to build a 5G-based smart bus demonstration project in Futian, leveraging the high-speed, low-latency connectivity of 5G to support real-time data processing and communication. This initiative positions Shenzhen as a potential leader in 5G-enabled autonomous transportation.
As road testing continues and technologies like the Internet of Vehicles advance, Alphaba is entering its 2.0 phase. Hu Jianping, founder of Hailiang, describes this as a “small step and go†approach, aiming to expand beyond the Futian District and integrate more applications. Future plans include collaboration with Scania to develop one of the world’s best commercial vehicle control platforms.
Despite the progress, smart buses are not without their challenges. In 2015, Greece introduced unmanned small buses in Trikala, and in 2017, Germany launched an autonomous electric shuttle. However, these early models faced limitations in handling real-world obstacles and complex traffic situations. In Las Vegas, an autonomous shuttle had a minor collision with a truck, highlighting the need for better emergency response systems.
While the truck was found at fault, the incident raised concerns about how autonomous systems respond to unpredictable human behavior. Human drivers might react differently in such scenarios, adding to the skepticism around the reliability of fully automated systems.
Legislation is also catching up with the rapid development of autonomous technology. In December 2022, Beijing issued new regulations allowing legal road testing of autonomous vehicles. The rules cover everything from insurance requirements and test conditions to penalties for violations, ensuring a safer and more structured environment for testing.
In summary, smart driving buses offer a promising path toward automation, with simpler environments and clear use cases. However, achieving full autonomy requires continued innovation, stronger legislation, and greater public trust.
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