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Scania started Trial with self-driving Buses

Scania and Nobina, the largest public transport operator in the Nordic region, initiate trials in Barkarbystaden with self-driving buses in scheduled traffi– The technology is now sufficiently mature to begin trials in traffic on public roads, says Karin Rådström, bus manager at Scania. This makes this one of the first attempts at large buses in Europe. We will learn a lot through this project for the continued development of autonomous buses.

The trial will be carried out in two steps: first without travelers before the commuters are welcomed on board. As safety is crucial in the trials, the buses will have a safety driver to monitor the traffic and assist the passengers.

– We at Nobina are deeply committed to establishing what we believe will be an important part of future public transport, says Henrik Dagnäs, CEO of Nobina Sweden. The trials will provide new insights and experiences for the work ahead in terms of the operation and control of autonomous buses – and at the same time create the conditions for more people to travel collectively. The requirements for the autonomous buses will be as harsh as the rest of the traffic in terms of accessibility, security and reliability.
The two electric buses, Scania Citywide LF, will tie the rapidly growing Barkarby town with the nearest metro station, Akalla. The buses will run along the five-kilometer stretch with four stops in dedicated bus lanes. Initially, about one kilometer of the route is planned to be driven autonomously. During the second phase of the trials, about 300 travelers are expected to use the bus service daily.

The development project has already started and the trials will, according to plan, begin in 2020. Throughout the trial period, information on, among other things, average speed, accessibility, time keeping, deviation handling and customer satisfaction will be collected.
Several innovative projects for new public transport solutions are already under way in Barkarbystaden, which has been described as the world’s most modern city traffic system. The projects include Europe’s first self-propelled electric buses in scheduled traffic, infrastructure and vehicles for BRT systems and new digital solutions – all in collaboration between Region Stockholm, Järfälla municipality and Nobin
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