All Nippon Airways is collaborating with SB Drive, Advanced Smart Mobility and BYD to test an autonomous electric bus at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) and SB Drive first announced a collaboration to test an autonomous electric bus back in February, 2018, which would be based around the latter’s Dispatcher remote monitoring system. Cameras mounted to the vehicle offer internal and external images, with the system also reporting location and speed data so that real-time monitoring and remote operation is possible.
Level 3 and level 4 autonomous trials were subsequently conducted on public roads around the perimeter of the airport, and now the two companies have been joined by Advanced Smart Mobility and BYD to test the autonomous bus along a 1.18-mile (1.9-km) route around a restricted area at Haneda International Airport.
Though a driver will be aboard, the idea is to see how the vehicle handles simulated real-world scenarios without too much human involvement. If all goes well, ANA is planning to put the autonomous electric bus to work by the end of the year.
“Once fully implemented, the autonomous electric bus will allow us to provide a more convenient transit experience for our passengers while also improving efficiency for our airport staff,” said ANA’s Shinzo Shimizu.
Autonomous electric bus rolls into Haneda International Airport [New Atlas]