- Title: No one at the wheel - Taiwan tests driverless electric bus
- Date: 13th July 2017
- Summary: TAIPEI, TAIWAN (JULY 12, 2017) (REUTERS) PASSENGERS WAITING AT DRIVERLESS BUS STOP IMAGE OF DRIVERLESS BUS SIGNBOARD READING (Chinese): "EZ10 TEST RIDE ACTIVITY, JULY 7-13" VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS WAITING IN LINE FOR DRIVERLESS BUS VARIOUS OF DRIVERLESS BUS DRIVING ON CAMPUS STREETS PASSENGERS SEATED IN MOVING DRIVERLESS BUS SCENE SEEN THROUGH WINDOW PASSENGERS SEATED IN MOVING DRIVERLESS BUS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 23-YEAR-OLD UNIVERSITY STUDENT, LO HSIEN-HAO, SAYING: "I think it is not really (dangerous), I think it's quite safe, because the speed is pretty slow, so I don't really feel endangered. It's quite comfortable." SCENE SEEN THROUGH WINDOW PASSER-BY WALKING PAST IN FRONT OF DRIVERLESS BUS MAKING IT STOP AUTOMATICALLY SCENE SEEN THROUGH WINDOW
- Embargoed: 27th July 2017 11:30
- Keywords: driverless lidar bus electric EZ10
- Location: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
- City: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
- Country: Taiwan
- Topics: Science
- Reuters ID: LVA0016PJWNYZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The boxy, electric bus bouncing along a road in a leafy university campus in Taiwan is fitted with special high-tech sensors, but it has no driver at the wheel.
When a student steps out in front of the bus it slows down until she passes. Then it picks up pace again.
On its short, carefully planned route on a clear day, the EZ10, manufactured by French autonomous driving company EasyMile SAS, easily completed its test circuit.
"The position in the future would be three major markets," said Martin Ting, chief of Taiwan-based 7Starlake Co, which is aiming to bring the compact driverless bus to Taiwan and set up an assembly site on the island. "Firstly, in public transport systems it could be the first or last mile connection with the bus or metro. Secondly, it can be widely used on campus. Third it can be used in shopping malls or any kind of terminal."
Unexpected complications, like having to make a detour if something strays into its path, or how it would perform in rain or at night, still have to be incorporated into the feasibility tests.
But the aim is to make the EZ10, which can carry up to a dozen passengers, operational at several locations later next year, Ting said, with the initial target being campuses and public transport links.
Twenty-three-year-old student passenger Lo Hsien-Hao said he felt safe on board during a test ride of the French-made EZ10 driverless electric bus.
"The speed is pretty slow, so I don't really feel endangered. It's quite comfortable," he said.
Liu Chou-Wu, agreed. "Since the speed is not that fast, it doesn't feel too uncomfortable," he said.
Taipei isn't the first city to introduce such trials with the EZ-10. Similar trials have taken place in San Ramon, California and Paris. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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