Driverless buses in Queensland

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Driverless bus trial to launch in southeast Queensland


All aboard for the future of urban transport – a driverless bus. Picture Gary Ramage


Inside the driverless bus that will be trialled in southeast Queensland. Picture: Gary Ramage

QUEENSLANDERS could soon be able to hail driverless buses to their front door in a move that is hoped to revolutionise the public transport industry.

There's no steering wheel. There's no pedals. There's no driver. It runs on an electric battery. It drives on busy roads next to your car. This is the EzyMile E10 shuttle.

Passengers will be able to call the mini bus on demand in the same way people use Uber now, with the E10 picking up passengers to drop them at bus stops to finish the rest of the journey.

Or the shuttles, capable of carrying 12 passengers, could have pre-programmed routes to stop at different locations along a trip.

EzyMile spokesman Simon Pearce said: "The applications of driverless vehicles in southeast Queensland are endless. Opportunities like connecting an aged-care facility to a nearby train station, providing a link between a train station and the local university or simply connecting communities that would otherwise have to drive to access public transport."

Southeast Queensland councils are about to undertake a trial of the autonomous vehicles for the first time in a move that's certain to attract close attention from the state's regulators.

The Sunshine Coast's Mooloolaba Esplanade, a bustling tourism jewel, will provide the backdrop for the first three-day trail of the EzyMile technology next month. The public will be able to use the service along the closed street to see how it works.

Mayor Mark Jamieson said driverless technology was "definitely of interest" as a transport solution for the sprawling region.

"It's great that our residents and visitors will have the first opportunity in the southeast to see and experience the technology for themselves, and you couldn't get a better backdrop than our beautiful and bustling Mooloolaba retail precinct," Cr Jamieson said.

Under current legislation, there's no provision for driverless vehicles to be used without obtaining a special permit. Because this is the first time the technology has been tested in the state, regulators will be watching the trial closely to see how it works.

Negotiations are already under way to expand the trial to Ipswich and Redlands next year.

[BrizCommuter]

Let's hope it is programmed to cope with Queensland drivers!

[ozbob]

I do not think these ' driverless buses ' will be running on open streets with mixed traffic anytime soon.