Navya Arma Pilotless bus

2018: Start of pilotless buses in Sydney

On September 26, 2018 the government of the Australian State of New South Wales announced the beginning of running of pilotless buses on the road around the Olympic Park in Sydney for the purpose of transportation of passengers. It is a new stage of the two-year research begun at the initiative of the government in August, 2017 — earlier pilotless buses passed tests of security without passengers on the same section of the highway.

Pilotless buses of the French company Navya are expected transportation of 12 passengers at the same time and can gather speed to 40 kilometers per hour. They are equipped with light sensors and lidars for environment assessment. It is possible to make a free reservation via Smart Innovation Center and websites of partners of a research. The pilotless bus will ply on the closed Olimpiysky Boulevard section during a school break.

Pilotless Navya bus

Specialists note that they lag behind the diagram – similar tests had to be carried out still in the first quarter 2018. Nevertheless developers with hope look forward – they want to attract future clients, having provided to them independently to estimate convenience of a new type of vehicles and also to configure a feedback to make changes according to wishes of clients.

Transportation of office workers and locals around section of the Olympic Park since the beginning of 2019 should become the next stage of tests. The government is also going to test pilotless vehicles in the regional centers Kofs-Harbor and Armidale at the end of 2018 – the beginning of 2019. However the Minister of Transport of New South Wales Melinda Pavey considers that wide use of pilotless vehicles still a matter of the distant future. Nevertheless, the government is ready to take the next step.^[1]

Notes

2017: Road accident with participation of the pilotless bus

On November 8, 2017 in Las Vegas solemn start of the pilotless Arma bus developed by French stratapy Navya took place. Later all a couple of hours since the beginning of work the electrobus shuttle got into accident.^[1]

Accident was provoked by the truck driver: handing over to a backing, he crashed into a front wing of the pilotless bus.

Solemn start of the pilotless Arma bus

The shuttle worked, as well as it is necessary. When its sensors recorded approach of the van, the bus stopped to avoid collision. If also the truck was equipped with the same sensor system, accidents would never occur — the press secretary of the city administration of Las Vegas said.

The shuttle was absolutely operational. Unfortunately, the truck crashed into the bus when that stopped. On our account already six similar pilotless buses working in different corners of the world. With their help we transported 275 thousand passengers, and it still did not occur anywhere — Andrea Mai (Andreas Mai), the executive vice president of passenger carrier of Keolis which possesses the pilotless electrobus commented.

The autonomous Arma shuttle is equipped with GPS, sensors which are not allowing departure on a roadside and other electronic systems providing a pilotless operation mode. At the bus expected 12 passengers there is an attendant, but the wheel and pedals of a brake is not provided.

The electrobus was successfully tested on the closed section of Frimont Street in Las Vegas, and since November 8 city authorities announced the beginning of running along a ring route 0.8 km long in the same area.

The truck crashed into the pilotless electrobus shuttle

In the first day the shuttle managed to make only a few runs when the motor van crashed into it. Fortunately, none of eight passengers of the electrobus suffered, and it sustained only cosmetic damage. To responsible for accident — the truck driver — wrote out a penalty for abuse of regulations of the movement, told the FOX5 Las Vegas edition in local police.^[2]

After check of operability of all systems the carrier promised to return the shuttle on a route.

Electric vehicles

Robotics

Notes