Driverless bus service starts public operation in China's Hefei

Tourists get on a self-driving tour bus in Binhu National Forest Park in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Oct. 11, 2022. A project promoting self-driving vehicles has been implemented in the Binhu National Forest Park of Hefei recently. (Xinhua/Guo Chen)

HEFEI, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A driverless bus line has started providing services to the public on the roads of Hefei, capital city of east China's Anhui Province.

The buses have been operating on a trial basis since mid-February, according to CICT Connected and Intelligent Technologies Co., Ltd., the company in charge of the service. The bus line has two automated-driving buses operating in the Baohe District, with a total route length of 15 km, said CICT.

The two driverless buses provide pick-up services for passengers along the route. Citizens can make reservations for the bus through a mobile app, with rides provided free of charge during the trial stage.

The automated-driving buses started on-road testing in August 2022. Through continuous deep "learning," the buses have brought their driving skills up to the level of human drivers with two or three years of driving experience, said the company.

With the speed maintained at about 30 km per hour, the buses have a passenger capacity of more than a dozen people. Two large screens in the carriage show holographic images of road conditions in real time.

Hefei has built a number of intelligent transportation and intelligent logistics pilot projects, including an autonomous driving technology innovation park.

In recent years, China has rolled out a series of policies to promote the development and commercialization of self-driving technologies.