Helsinki Tries Self-Driving Buses in Real Traffic
spectrum.ieee.org
spectrum.ieee.org
They were trialed at a housing fair last year; there they traveled in a closed area not open to other vehicles.
Finnish law does not state anywhere that a vehicle must have a driver, so this trial is legally not that challenging.
It might turn out to be challenging technically; the local metro was supposed to be driverless now (like Docklands Light Railway was almost 30 years ago) but that has been postponed indefinitely, and is a partial reason for a delay in the extension of the metro line to the west which even has its own "is it already ready" page akin to BER airport [3] and which messed up e.g. my public transport connections.
The following links [1], [2] are in Finnish but there you have some more pictures of the things.
[1] https://forumvirium.fi/itseohjautuvat-robottibussit-helsingi...
[2] http://yle.fi/uutiset/tassa_ne_tulevat_suomen_ensimmaiset_ro...
I actually highly question the efficacy of this approach. Humans are good at driving (for some values of "good") partly (imho) because it is an active task. As soon as we enter the "monitoring" zone, and not actively engaging in the task, it is very easy to become quickly bored and have attentions wander and miss important details, like getting too close to other traffic, veering the wrong way, etc. This is not the fault of the person doing the monitoring being bad at their job, but rather simply how humans work, and this needs to be taken into account when designing systems that are automatic but "require human monitoring."
Really, humans are better at the active task, and computers are better at monitoring, but we are constantly trying to reverse these roles, sometimes to dangerous effect.
And a part of it is surely just to convince the potential passengers (who don't have to pay anything in this trial) that "it's safe, we even put our own guinea pig to prove it".
This story concentrates on women suffering from perverts, but I expect that most life-threatening violence is, as usual, experienced by men.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/will-the-night-tube-pr...
What I mean is that there are more than technical and legal challenges to self-driving transportation systems, especially when those systems currently employ human drivers who are obviously not willing to lose their jobs.
> With the advent of autonomy, it will probably make sense to shrink the size of buses and transition the role of bus driver to that of fleet manager. Traffic congestion would improve due to increased passenger areal density by eliminating the center aisle and putting seats where there are currently entryways, and matching acceleration and braking to other vehicles, thus avoiding the inertial impedance to smooth traffic flow of traditional heavy buses. It would also take people all the way to their destination. Fixed summon buttons at existing bus stops would serve those who don't have a phone. Design accommodates wheelchairs, strollers and bikes.
Skepticism is understandable, but self driving technology is advancing rapidly. Tesla will release a bus-like product:
> In addition to consumer vehicles, there are two other types of electric vehicle needed: heavy-duty trucks and high passenger-density urban transport. Both are in the early stages of development at Tesla and should be ready for unveiling next year.
Lauttasaari would have been another good candidate. I am one of the people who have also had their commute messed up by the bus changes due to the metro delay but once it arrives there will be one bus service that just drives in a circle taking people to the metro station. A pretty good option for an automated bus I think, and a short route.
The social behavior where person X lies because it's expected of them, and everyone else pretends to believe the lie is...odd.
You generate some heat when you ride, while when waiting for a bus...
Should I go there on my bike just to see what happens when I ride too close? Of course that'd be frustrating for the other passengers...