Driverless buses and future technologies

sgbuses SG

Driverless technology has been emerging in the last five years. Would driverless buses be on Singapore's roads in a decade's time? Would all buses be electric to reduce emissions?

Currently, driverless electric vehicles are already being tested in Singapore as a proof of concept:

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/transport/story/look-mum-no-hands-singapore-looks-driverless-vehicles-20140827

They are also being used in Italy, although the vehicle is currently smaller than a normal citybus:

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-future-of-driverless-buses-2014-12

LTA is also studying them as a possible long-term plan (Smart Mobility 2030 master plan):

http://transport.asiaone.com/news/general/story/lta-studying-driverless-vehicles-viable-mode-transport

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/driverless-buses-talking-cars-smart-transport-master-plan

Wireless charging technology for electric buses would also aid in making the process fully autonomous, akin to how driverless trains operate now:

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-23603751

In the United Kingdom, operators are also exploring the prospect of operating them:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11180429/Driverless-buses-on-the-way.html

Would that help solve the shortage of drivers, by doing away with them altogether?

SBS3688Y SG

i would not hope for buses to become driverless; or else lots of people are going to lose job opportunities. if every trade becomes automated, it going to spell big trouble for the society. and the economy looks like declining now. as more unemployment is expected to rise, we may expect bus captains vacancies to be filled up more easily.

Rather i would hope for truly clean fuel technology where vehicles will not emit any pollutants at all. the roads air quality are getting worse due to increase in vehicle population. even with euro 5 or 6 technologies, its still polluting the air and as these vehicles ages, emission only get worse.

and i also long for a breakthrough in suspension system for double-deck buses. suspension for ADDs which are as good as the current single-deckers such as MAN A22 and Citaros. And are we able to develop a brake system that cause minimal impact to standing pax even when the bus brakes sharply?

Chopepe114 SG

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Bus Stopping SG

Driverless technology has been emerging in the last five years. Would driverless buses be on Singapore's roads in a decade's time? Would all buses be electric to reduce emissions?

Currently, driverless electric vehicles are already being tested in Singapore as a proof of concept:

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/transport/story/look-mum-no-hands-singapore-looks-driverless-vehicles-20140827

They are also being used in Italy, although the vehicle is currently smaller than a normal citybus:

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-future-of-driverless-buses-2014-12

LTA is also studying them as a possible long-term plan (Smart Mobility 2030 master plan):

http://transport.asiaone.com/news/general/story/lta-studying-driverless-vehicles-viable-mode-transport

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/driverless-buses-talking-cars-smart-transport-master-plan

Wireless charging technology for electric buses would also aid in making the process fully autonomous, akin to how driverless trains operate now:

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-23603751

In the United Kingdom, operators are also exploring the prospect of operating them:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/11180429/Driverless-buses-on-the-way.html

Would that help solve the shortage of drivers, by doing away with them altogether?

I'd say the government thought of another rather different approach to replace large use of buses here in sg and that is the construction of the various automated medium capacity rail lines.

The circle line, downtown line, and thomson-marine parade line replaces or will replace some of the corridors that have rather heavy bus usage, by providing stops that are within walking distance and with stable frequency unlike buses.

Doing so helps to stablise the frequency/headways as well as removing some traffic off the roads, and hopefully in turn providing a smoother and faster journey for the remaining bus services which can help to reduce route-fleet sizes.

The only downsides are the cost.