After five years of testing, an autonomous electric bus has been deployed to a park in Madrid, Spain, for one final, real-world experiment in driverless vehicles for public transit. If it succeeds, the cute little caterpillar-shaped bus may become a mainstay in the Spanish capital, ferrying passengers around the city. Developed through a partnership with the Madrid Transit Authority (EMT) and Automotive Technology Center of Galicia (CTAG), in northern Spain, the driverless bus has been in action between September 15 and October 24. It drove in a circuit around Casa de Campo, picking up passengers at six stops, and operating for five of the city’s peak hours. The vehicle, which is 100% electric, was designed not to replace drivers but to provide an alternative for shorter routes. Though fully autonomous and capable of detecting pedestrians, stop signs, and traffic lights, a safety officer is always on board just in case.
