Australia’s first fully driverless bus has hit the road in South Perth as part of a three-month trial to test the technology by motoring group RAC.
Known as the RAC Intellibus™, the $250,000 electric shuttle bus can carry up to 11 passengers and travels at an average speed of 25km per hour.
So how does it work?
All aboard
The vehicle features front and rear cameras, GPS technology and multi-sensor technology so it can pick up obstacles and recognise traffic conditions, plus an emergency stop button.
It can also be manually overridden by an on-board chaperone using an Xbox controller if hackers try to access the navigation system and change the route.
The French-manufactured bus arrived in WA back in April, but this is the first test in real-life conditions with other traffic, pedestrians and cyclists.
A recent RAC survey of almost 1,000 Western Australians on the technology found 70 per cent thought it would give more freedom and independence to the ageing and those with mobility difficulties, while almost half (46 per cent) believed it would help traffic congestion.
Would you be keen to give it a go?
Are you in Perth? Register for a chance to ride the Intellibus™ here.
