In spring 2025, Volvo Buses, alongside public transport companies VL and Svealandstrafiken, will pilot an innovative self-driving support system for bus drivers in Västerås, Sweden. This system aims to ease drivers' workload by enabling buses to autonomously navigate bus stops, ensuring improved safety and passenger comfort while reducing the environmental impact. Funded partly through the EU eBRT2030 project, this technology is poised to enhance the current public transport system through immediate benefits, although fully autonomous buses remain in the distant future. Training for participating drivers has been thorough to ensure safety and responsibility during the test phase.
The support system enables buses to drive independently into and out of bus stops. It is designed primarily to reduce the stress on drivers, but also to lower the environmental impact of the buses and increase safety and comfort for passengers.
Although fully self-driving buses without safety drivers in public transport systems are a thing of the far distant future, with the help of this type of new technology we can add value in a number of areas today.
We hope to be able to minimize the monotonous tasks that drivers have to carry out, which will improve their working environment. The new technology can also help to reduce wear and damage to the buses, make travelling more comfortable for passengers and increase road safety.
All drivers who will drive the test bus have had thorough training in using the system. Regardless of whether or not the system is activated, it is the driver who has full responsibility for the bus.
Collection
[
|
...
]