Developing technology continues to affect every aspect of our lives. Autonomous driving technologies are at the forefront of these developments and are changing our lives. Moreover, this technology is starting to affect not only personal vehicles but also commercial vehicle use. These environmentally friendly vehicles aim to facilitate our daily activities with autonomous driving technologies.
Now, a new move has come from China in this regard. The country has taken a step towards self-driving vehicles in commercial public transport. Authorities announced that trials of fully autonomous and electric buses developed by Chinese technology giant Baidu have begun in the country’s city of Chongqing.
Everything found in a normal bus is also available in Robobus buses.
The “commercial trials” of 3 buses called “Robobus”, which have 4th level autonomous driving technology, started in Chongqing. In the statements, it was stated that the buses are 5.9 meters long and can travel 40 kilometers per hour. In addition, it was among the statements made that Robobuses can stop on their own, have everything that a normal bus has and can withstand harsh road conditions.
Baidu autonomous driving unit security officer Zhang Shangui, who followed the trials from Chongqing, also said, “Currently, autonomous buses are operating in three different cities. Chongqing, on the other hand, is one of the first cities where commercial operations were started.” Shangui also added that people in the city can use the buses by paying with smart cards or facial recognition systems.
Experts in the use of electric fully autonomous buses; It thinks it is very important because it reduces carbon emissions, prevents traffic jams and reduces costs. It is also underlined that such technologies, if sufficiently developed, can significantly reduce accident rates.