Self-Driving Technology: Driverless bus to hit the road in central China

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01:58

The next time you get on a bus in China, it may not have a driver. More and more driverless vehicles are heading out on the roads here, as companies continue to develop potential markets. The buses are initially being used in limited areas. CGTN's Li Jianhua boarded such a bus in the central Chinese City of Wuhan.

A bus passes by swiftly. On the bus, no driver. And this bus is set to hit the road this month. But first, some test drives in enclosed parks.

YANG CHAO GENERAL MANAGER, TIMO "The bus is equipped with a set of detection devices. On both sides are laser radars and binocular cameras. Down there you can see an ultrasonic radar system. Up front, it's equipped with a millimeter wave radar system and a monocular camera. On the roof, it has a positioning system."

Yang adds that 5G capabilities will help improve the vehicle's performance. Safety has always been a top concern in self-driving technology. I boarded the bus myself to see how it works.

"It feels funny. I'm on a bus, and there is no driver."

The inside of the bus is quite empty and there is no steering wheel at all. The bus moves, the monitor detecting the surroundings.

"How can we make sure it's safe."

CHEN ZHAOYANG SAFETY OFFICER, TIMO "The detectors on the bus are very sensitive. If they detect any blockade on the road, it will swerve."

If a pedestrian crosses its path, will the bus stop? I tried it myself and it came to a halt, though it was raining. Regardless, safety is still most people's concern.

LI JIANHUA WUHAN, HUBEI PROVINCE "Self-driving technology is moving right along in China. Self-driving cars and self-driving public transportation vehicles like this bus are well on their way to becoming the norm. Will we be ready? Only time will tell. LJH, CGTN, WUHAN, HUBEI PROVINCE."