It may seem to us that the time is far off when public transport will be automated with autonomous vehicles, but nothing could be further from reality considering the advancement of technology and advances in vehicles. In this case we are facing new news about the start of tests with an autonomous vehicle -without a driver- and in this case it is a bus named Harry from the Oxbotica company.
For now, we are facing a bus that will be in tests until 2019 and a hundred users will be in charge of testing this autonomous vehicle. In principle, it is expected to be ready in a couple of years, but it is normal that the tests start now since they already have the technology and the adjustments of the small bus ready. Harry will be used as a means of transportation within the Greenwich Peninsula, being capable of reaching speeds of up to 16 km / h, carrying four passengers and will circulate over 3,2 km from the banks of the River Thames, near the famous 02 Arena.
excitement as #driverlessfutures become real - @GATEway_TRL driverless shuttle public trials begin @HHCDesign @DigiGreenwich @oxbotica pic.twitter.com/aMSfDvIAyn
- Royal College of Art (@RCA) April 5th 2017
This vehicle has neither a steering wheel nor a brake pedal, as explained in the BBC and will be watched by five cameras y three lasers which They will facilitate circulation so as not to cause accidents, but inside, at least during the tests, a qualified person will be able to stop it if necessary. This type of vehicle is becoming more and more frequent and it is normal that tests of this type continue to be carried out, but it would be interesting to increase the number of users who can get on it, although we do not believe that this is a problem.