Autonomous buses could ‘revolutionise city mobility’

A number of OEMs are testing autonomous passenger cars on public roads after obtaining permits by US authorities. Autonomous trucks have also been under development for some time, with the likes of Daimler leading the way with early road tests of a concept vehicle.

In 2015, the German OEM became the first to obtain approval from US authorities to drive an autonomous truck on public highways in Nevada. Otto, a small start-up that has recently been purchased by Uber, has also been testing self-driving trucks on US roads.

Some companies are also looking to apply the technology to the bus segment, which could lead to substantial change in the public transport sector and have a dramatic impact on the way people travel in cities.