GREECE Two small driverless buses are now operating in Trikala, the product of work by CityMobil2, a multi-stakeholder project co-funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technical Development. For the first six days they ran without passengers, but were then expected to settle down to six days a week operation. Specially designated roads free of parked vehicles and obstacles are used.
CityMobil2 started in September 2012 and will run for four years with 45 partners. It is a pilot platform for automated road transport systems, which are being implemented in several urban environments across Europe.
A dozen local authorities or equivalent sites have been in the bidding to be one of the five sites to host a six-month demonstration. All recognise the potential of vehicle automation as part of their public transport network. Two sets of six vehicles each for the demonstrations will be supplied by two of the five manufacturers within the project.
Additionally research will be undertaken into the technical, financial, cultural, and behavioural aspects and effects on land use policies and how new systems can fit into existing infrastructure in different cities. The legal issues surrounding automated transport will also be addressed leading to a proposed framework for certifying automated transport systems.
