'Driverless Bus' - Is this the transportation of the future?
Madrid has a new temporary public vehicle: a fully autonomous electric minibus that aims to bring the mobility of the future closer and alleviate the driver shortage plaguing many parts of Europe.
The minibus, which was manufactured in Spain, has been circulating in the Casa de Campo park since September 15 as part of a pilot project by the Municipal Transport Company (EMT) and the Galician Automotive Technology Center (CTAG). The project aims to test this technology in real open traffic conditions.
The vehicle, with a capacity for 12 passengers, operates from Monday to Friday between 12:00 and 17:00, and will complete a 1.8-kilometer circular route with six stops. The service is free and will be available until October 24 as part of the European Mobility Week activities. The reception has been evident in the first days: passengers who came to try it out embraced the thrill of traveling in a driverless bus, while EMT employees showed pride and enthusiasm for participating in a pioneering project in the city.
"This bus is one of the best I've ever tested," César Omar Chacón Fernández, head of EMT's Railway Stock Planning Division, told EMT. "It behaves very well dynamically. Let's say the technology is very well integrated, it doesn't behave erratically or robotically like other buses, " he added.
The vehicle is 100% electric, although a large part of its technological components come from abroad. Assembly, software and systems integration took place in Galicia in northern Spain, where CTAG installed sensors, cameras, GPS and a central processing unit (CPU) that acts as the "brain" of the vehicle.
The aim of EMT and CTAG is not to replace drivers, but to explore how this technology can complement public transport. Elsewhere in Europe, the shortage of professional drivers is a growing challenge and experts say autonomous buses could alleviate this shortage.
"In Madrid we don't have that problem with staffing, but we see an opportunity in improving the safety and efficiency of our buses ," said Chacón, adding that "this type of technology could cover the so-called 'hot spots' where this problem is very evident." European cities such as Paris, Stockholm and Hamburg are also experimenting with autonomous mobility.
In Madrid, some residents have expressed doubts about the reliability of the project, but the EMT says the system is safe and has been in development for years. "This is not the first time we have tested this technology: we have been working with autonomous vehicles for four or five years and this is one of the most reliable we have tested ," he said.
The bus integrates an advanced system that monitors speed, acceleration, trajectory, door status, accessibility ramps and indicators in real time. Integral control optimizes safety and improves driving efficiency. The autonomous driving system operates at level 4 automation: the minibus recognizes roads, traffic lights, cyclists and pedestrians, and decides on its own when to accelerate, brake or turn.
"The vehicle detects any object, from a bicycle to an animal, and reacts accordingly to avoid collisions ," said Chacón. In addition, a safety operator is always on board. His role is to monitor the journey and act in case of emergency, either by opening the doors or manually braking. " It's a fully autonomous line, but we never leave anything to chance ," he said.
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