Mobility’s evolution has gone great lengths, from the invention of the wheel to the creation of autonomous means of transportation. This allows a redefinition of the future, where the driver and the passenger are key elements in the progression to the path of autonomy.
Through R&D and different thought processes, today’s industry collaborates with governments and interested entities to lead mobility to a brighter future, which is a fundamental part of improving people’s quality of life.
One main tool to stand out in autonomous mobility compared to competitors has been creating a hub which guides technological development towards the future; a mission statement that Tesla Motors leads worldwide, by developing innovations to standardize autonomous driving as the new way of getting around in smart cities.
Tesla’s vehicles offer a 360° vision around the vehicle with an 820 feet reach, achievable through 8 cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a front radar, the latter doubling the range and wavelength.
Can this technology be transferred to public transport?
Acquiring one of these private vehicles can be a high investment for the average mexican user (being valued at more than $2,000,000 MXN); innovations in public transport offer passengers an autonomous driving experience. Some countries have caught up with projects such as
AutoMost: the smart mobility project led by MOBILITY ADO and Avanza in Spain.
As part of the implementation of a more efficient, sustainable, and intelligent urban mobility system, MOBILITY ADO, through Avanza, launched the AutoMost project, consisting of an E-MOBILITY iEBAR2 bus manufactured by Irizar. This 39 ft. long and 100% electric bus positioned itself as the first vehicle of its kind worldwide with tests in real conditions and city environment in Malaga, Spain.
The Mexican company has expressed its position regarding the transition to autonomous mobility as a multifactorial change that must respond to its people centered-based decision-making commitment; meaning that drivers have greater and better abilities to get involved with technology and at the same time guarantee jobs, while covering the mobility of millions of users in the world.
Nobina and Scania, the autonomous bus initiative in Stockholm.
Nobina is the largest public transport operator in the Scandinavian countries and its pioneering position led it to launch a series of trials involving driverless buses in Stockholm metropolitan area; consisting of two autonomous Citywide LF vehicles, able to reach a speed up to 12 mph. This project began a trial in 2019 on a 3 mile route and it’s intended to be a standard on regular routes.
Volvo, a Singaporean driverless bus proposal.
Volvo proposes an ambitious public transportation project incorporating 80 passengers and a max speed up to 50 mph, through a bus with an internal combustion engine. The Volvo 7900 is 39 ft. long and being developed in Singapore in a strategic partnership with Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
Mobility development, as well as public and private transport, will continue to grow hand in hand with autonomy, linked to new combustion energies, prioritizing electromobility over other options, making life easier for people in smart cities.
Still, there’s long road ahead in terms of autonomous vehicles, but they already are a reality. Learn more about this and other mobility related projects in Movimentistas and share your opinion with us.
