The use of automated vehicles is expected to make the public transport system more efficient and accessible for both urban and rural areas.
Self-driving vehicle technology is in the spotlight, and that became clear this week at the international trade fair Innotrans in Berlin. There, the twelve-meter-long self-driving regional bus from Groningen was shown to the public for the first time. The bus, which will be extensively tested later this year, is a project by Qbuzz in collaboration with RobotTUNER, the province of Groningen and the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region.
The Berlin trade fair, an important event for transport innovations, attracted many curious visitors who were eager to see the technology of the self-driving bus. There was also plenty of attention from the media. “Last Tuesday, our editors were approached by Lennart van Dijk of KRO-NCRV Radio 5 to appear live on the broadcast about this subject at the last minute.”
RobotTUNER
The self-driving bus is equipped with advanced technology developed by the Wageningen company RobotTUNER, which allows the bus to drive autonomously. The route the bus must take is loaded onto a large screen in the bus, after which the vehicle follows the instructions without the intervention of a driver.
The province of Groningen has the scoop: it is the first province in the world to test an existing bus with this autonomous technology. Initially, the test drives will take place at the Qbuzz bus depot in Groningen, but the bus will soon also be used on public roads. "The autumn will be exciting," says a spokesperson for Qbuzz. "We will be driving the bus around our depot from October, but the real challenge will come later this year when we let the bus drive on the bus lane of the Peizerweg in Groningen."
The aim of the project is to investigate whether self-driving technology can be used on quiet, predictable routes. The province of Groningen hopes to find a solution to improve accessibility with this technology, especially in places where there is currently little public transport. By using autonomous buses on less busy routes, costs can be saved, while public transport in remote areas remains intact.
There will also be a chance for the public to see the bus up close. On Friday 8 November, Qbuzz will be organising a demonstration at their bus depot in Groningen, where the self-driving bus will be shown in action. “It will be an exciting moment for us,” the spokesperson said. “Not only will we be showing the bus in action, but it will also be a great opportunity to introduce people to the technology that could change the future of public transport.”
The introduction of the self-driving bus is an important step in the development of sustainable and cost-efficient public transport. According to the province of Groningen, self-driving buses could be a solution in the future to keep public transport profitable in less populated areas. “With the current personnel costs, it is difficult to have buses running everywhere in the province, but if this technology develops further, we may be able to operate without drivers in places where it is currently too expensive,” according to the spokesperson.
project
The project is a collaboration between various parties, including Qbuzz, RobotTUNER, the province of Groningen and the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region. It is one of the first times that a complete regional bus that can drive autonomously is being experimented with in the Netherlands. Although there are no concrete plans yet to deploy the technology on a large scale, it is hoped that the results of these tests will provide clarity about the feasibility and effectiveness of self-driving public transport in the near future.
“We received press attention from different corners of Europe, even Italian media were curious about this innovation”
The international consortium COLUMBUSS, consisting of universities, knowledge institutes, policy makers, local and regional governments, transport companies, interest groups and technology providers, has ambitious plans for the future of autonomous public transport. The consortium believes that automated transport can not only reduce the costs of passenger and freight transport, but can also significantly improve mobility in cities and rural areas. Furthermore, it aims to increase the quality of life and ensure that the concept is widely accepted by all stakeholders.
The project is part of the national cooperation in the field of Automated Public Transport (AOV). The province of Groningen is working with robotTUNER, Qbuzz and the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region for this specific project.
