Transport authority approves first test of fully automated bus system

The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has granted the US company Adastec approval for tests with an autonomous bus. For the first time, an electric bus for more than 20 passengers in accordance with SAE Level 4 is allowed to drive on public roads in Germany under real traffic conditions, as announced by the company. The company specializes in automation solutions for large-capacity buses and commercial vehicles. It speaks of an "important milestone on the way to fully autonomous local public transport". Accordingly, the KBA has granted approval based on a regulation for the operation of motor vehicles with autonomous driving functions in defined areas.

SAE level 4 stands for fully automated driving. It describes the second-highest level of automation: in defined scenarios and environments, the vehicle can perform driving tasks without the human behind the wheel having to be ready to take over. The Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) now more or less refers to this as autonomous driving. Even sleeping at the wheel could be permitted under special circumstances, as control would be transferred to the system. In Europe, the level 3 systems from BMW and Mercedes-Benz are currently considered to be leading the way. These systems allow drivers to completely relinquish their attention under certain defined conditions.

Trial operation with Adastec technology is taking place in Burgdorf, a town of 17,000 inhabitants near Hanover, as part of the Albus project. Electric buses of the "Autonomous e-ATAK" model from the Turkish manufacturer Karsan are being used. They are equipped ex works with sensor technology and the flowride.ai software platform from Adastec. The vehicles use lidar, radar, ultrasonic and infrared sensors for environmental perception as well as satellite navigation systems such as GPS or Galileo for precise positioning.

Complex scenarios – Maximum speed 40 km/h

According to Adastec, the Albus bus is currently undergoing a monitored test phase on a seven-kilometre route in Burgdorf. It is traveling with a registered user group and under the supervision of the project participants. This allows the system, which is already in use 12 times worldwide, to be evaluated under real conditions. The vehicle operated by Regiobus navigates under real traffic conditions – including complex scenarios such as traffic circles, traffic lights, crosswalks and parking maneuvers. In doing so, it maintains the scheduled service at a speed of up to 40 km/h.

The project partners include the Hannover Region, the transport operator Üstra, Steuern Lenken Bauen (SLB), Rupprecht Consult and the Institute of Transport and Urban Planning at Braunschweig Technical University. The route includes 13 bus stops and passes through ten intersections. Flowride.ai is designed to help manage complex urban scenarios, including lateral and parallel parking, and keep up with high traffic density. The Federal Ministry of Transport is funding Albus.

After collecting and evaluating data and feedback from passengers on ride comfort, accessibility, and user interaction, the bus will run parallel to route 906 in the second phase. This is subject to further official approvals such as a full SAE level 4 type approval, which is still pending. As part of the regional strategy, a further expansion of the service with additional routes is planned. The TU researchers want to incorporate the driving data into their traffic simulation. The aim is to gain general insights for the regulatory integration of autonomous buses into daily traffic.

(vbr)