Scotland to Present the World First Self-Driving Bus Service
- The Guardian
Alongside six other projects, the Edinburgh bus service was awarded a share of £81m in joint UK government and industry support to speed up the commercialization of self-driving transport technology.
Ministers hope that the vehicles will eventually offer consumers more convenience by making journeys faster and more reliable, as well as improving safety, since 88% of road collisions are currently caused by human error; and sustainability, by encouraging more people to use public transport.
Other cities are also exploring introducing driverless buses, though these are not thought to be as advanced as the project in Edinburgh. In 2025, 45 driverless electric minibusses will be programmed to run for a year in three European cities: Geneva, Switzerland; Kronach, Germany; and Oslo, Norway. There have also been short trials in several cities, including Rome and Seoul.