Autonomous vehicles are on the rise as companies continue to pursue the vision of driverless cars. This technology is also being looked at for incorporation into public transit through robotaxis and fully autonomous buses.

The principles behind autonomous buses are the same as those behind other autonomous vehicles. They provide a transportation solution that uses computer systems to drive the vehicle instead of a human being.

Imagry is one company looking to make driverless transit a reality with its fully autonomous buses.

HD Maps or Mapless Autonomous Driving

For autonomous vehicles to operate, they must understand their surroundings and where things are. 

When implemented in a smaller, controlled area, a high-definition map that is accurate down to five centimeters can be uploaded to the vehicle. However, there are some downsides to using maps like this.

HD maps require large computer storage and the ability to send large quantities of data to the vehicle quickly. Due to their required accuracy, they are also expensive to create.

The maps also require high computing power to process, which can be challenging to put on board a moving vehicle. Finally, cyber attacks can be leveraged against cars that rely on the maps by constantly accessing the open ports needed to receive the map data.

These factors make them an unrealistic option when implementing autonomous vehicles on public roads, especially in countries like the U.S., where massive road networks must be mapped.

With these considerations in mind, Imagry is developing a mapless driving system. Mapless systems allow for greater flexibility and adaptability, which allows autonomous vehicles to operate better in urban environments where road conditions can change quickly.

“Autonomous driving won’t happen if you need to send HD maps into autonomous vehicles,” said Eran Ofir, CEO of Imagry. “You see them get stuck because what they see doesn’t fit what they have on the map. HD maps are costly and very complicated to update continuously.”

Developing Autonomous Vehicles

Whether an autonomous vehicle utilizes HD maps or mapless navigation, a lot of computing power will be required to run the AI systems that allow the bus to navigate. Until recently, it was impossible to put computers capable of running AI systems in moving vehicles.

Recent developments from chip companies have enabled autonomous vehicle research to move forward. With the new chips coming to market, equipping vehicles with autonomous driving systems is becoming easier.

The most basic forms of autonomous systems are available now, with features like parallel parking assist. The following features will likely be introduced to the market: autonomous parking and traffic jam assist.

As these features become more advanced, fully autonomous vehicles will become more common. Vehicles with autonomous driving are already on the road but still require driver intervention in unpredictable situations.

“I typically say we will have autonomous vehicles on the mass market around 2027,” said Ofir. “Most OEMs and teams we are working with intend to launch Software Defined Vehicles around early 2027. Many new vehicles will have entry-level autonomous driving features.”

Software-defined vehicles are not fully autonomous or driverless, but are essentially computers on wheels. They are the first step to truly driverless vehicles, including buses.

Another requirement for autonomous buses is a drive system compatible with computer systems. Sending turning directions and steering the bus directly becomes easier for AI systems.

Regulations and Deployment of Autonomous Buses

Government regulations play an important role in deploying autonomous vehicles. Currently, most autonomous vehicles on the road are level three vehicles that still require a driver to take over if necessary.

Level three vehicles perform best in smaller, controlled zones accommodating self-driving cars.

Level four autonomous vehicles are completely driverless and have also started to appear as small transportation vehicles, such as robotaxis. Imagry hopes to lead the development of autonomous vehicles by deploying level four buses on city streets overseas.

These full-sized autonomous buses undergo rigorous tests in controlled facilities to prove they can safely navigate urban environments. The tests simulate a pedestrian suddenly jumping in front of the bus and other possible traffic conditions.

Another aspect that the buses will be tested on is their cybersecurity features. When a truly driverless vehicle is deployed, the threat of a remote takeover could lead to dangerous situations.

After successfully completing all of these tests and meeting other regulations set forth by local authorities, the buses can be deployed on the field with safety drivers.

When selecting locations to test the technology, Imagry searched for places with few regulations for autonomous vehicles. This would allow them to conduct their tests more easily while trying to reach the benchmarks set by other, more strict parts of the world.

The U.S. allowed for the construction of testing and development facilities in California, Nevada, and Arizona to help them establish a technological baseline.

Israel is also a location that Imagry uses for testing due to the presence of an autonomous vehicle development center and progress made with the technology in buses.

Germany and Japan are also used for testing; however, their requirements differ from those of the other locations, and both areas requested Imagry’s involvement.

The final factor when deciding where to test the buses is the weather. The technology can be refined more easily by choosing sunny locations without snow and ice regulations.

Selection of Deployment Locations

So far, Imagry is working on autonomous bus projects in Israel, Japan, and Portugal, and proposals are being considered in several other European countries. 

These locations are being selected partially due to the local laws and regulations regarding autonomous vehicles. Developing rules is key to deploying autonomous buses on regular city streets.

Driving on normal roads is a key part of Imagry’s projects. While some autonomous vehicle systems are given dedicated driving lanes for their vehicles, Imagry’s buses will be driving alongside everyone else.

Even with all the controlled tests, one final test must be conducted to prove that the vehicles can operate without drivers.

The final test varies depending on where the deployment is; however, for most European countries, the bus must travel 100,000 kilometers (approximately 63,000 miles) without human intervention or incident with a safety driver present.

Once the final proof that the autonomous bus can navigate the area is provided, the safety driver can be removed from the vehicle. Imagry expects to be the first company to meet these requirements worldwide and have a fully autonomous bus on the road by September 2025.

Global Deployment and Market Opportunities

The current markets that Imagry is looking to deploy in have the highest potential for autonomous buses.

One thing that plays into the opportunity to deploy autonomous buses is the global bus driver shortage. With driverless buses, transit agencies can deploy more routes while saving on costs due to the high demand for drivers.

Concerns about job displacement have been raised, but Imagry is working with local public transit operators and unions to address these concerns in every situation where it is looking to deploy its autonomous buses.

Autonomous buses are also more likely to be widely used by younger generations, as older riders who have tried the technology have expressed more caution about a driverless bus.

The biggest question regarding autonomous buses is when they will become widely available. Legally deploying an autonomous bus in certain areas may take some time.

The U.S., specifically, is likely to take longer due to its current state of autonomous vehicle regulation. In addition, the electric buses currently in the country are often unsuitable for conversion into autonomous buses.

“There is no regulation, no legislation, federal or state, for autonomous mass transportation,” said Ofir. “No one is dealing with it yet. I have gone to DC a few times and spoken with Congress members, and they’re still thinking of robot taxis that drive one or two passengers at a time. They don’t think about autonomous buses.”

If lawmakers address the regulatory gap and provide incentives for autonomous electric buses, they could soon be used in public transit systems.

Driverless vehicles have been on the horizon for several years now, and thanks to recent technological advancements in computer hardware, they are closer to reality than ever. The ability to create self-driving cars exists; however, a lot of regulatory and safety work needs to be done.

With the first fully autonomous buses predicted to hit the road at the end of the year and Japan’s lofty goals of transitioning its public transit systems completely to autonomous vehicles, it may not be long before we can step onto a bus without a driver.