A group of universities, public and research agencies are starting a project to develop autonomous bus technology. Image source: Shutterstock (#109926461)
Proterra, the US-based electric bus trailblazer has started its autonomous bus program in cooperation with the University of Nevada-Reno along with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI, the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County (RTC), the Nevada Governor’s Office for Economic Development, and the cities of Carson City, Sparks, and Reno. Dubbed as the ‘Industry’S First’ autonomous bus program, it will be split into three phases and is expected to “deal with the real road conditions from the perspective of public transit systems, and emphasize the most challenging aspects related to mass transportation, which include dense and dynamic environments, degraded conditions, and a need for swift emergency response.” According to Carlo Cardillo, PhD Director of the Nevada Center for Applied Research at the University of Nevada, Reno, “Autonomy is key for safety, efficiency and reliable transportation systems at scale. Our shared vision is to have robust, long-term autonomy to enable safer modes of transit. In the pilot, we plan to research and develop a robust set of algorithms for localization and mapping, object detection in the domains of multi-modal fusion and recognition of intent to ultimately advance robotic perception and move systems closer to our simultaneous goal of enhancing safety. The project involves University researchers in advanced-autonomous systems, computer sciences, synchronized mobility, robotics and civil engineering.”
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