Volvo tests its autonomous buses in Singapore

Volvo and Nanyang Technological University launch the first autonomous electric bus, 12 metres long and with capacity for 80 passengers

After carrying out a series of tests of the autonomous bus around the university campus, Volvo intends to soon move on to trials on public roads to check its effectiveness.

The bus has 36 seats and operates silently with zero emissions. It is also the first electric and autonomous bus of the Swedish company, and requires 80% less energy than a diesel bus of equivalent size.

Artificial intelligence at the service of the Volvo bus

The Volvo 7900 is equipped with numerous sensors and navigation controls managed by an artificial intelligence system. A system protected with cybersecurity measures to prevent unwanted intrusions.

Likewise, the Volvo bus is the first of two that have undergone preliminary tests at the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous Vehicles (CETRAN).

Among the sensors and navigation controls we find: light detection and ranging sensors, stereo vision cameras with 3D imaging, and an advanced satellite navigation system that uses real-time kinematics to provide a location with accuracy of up to one centimetre.

Public road tests

The Singapore public transport operator will play a key role in the road capacity of the autonomous bus. First, the facilities provided will be as in the real world, to assess autonomous driving in traffic situations and to park safely in loading areas.

Volvo will follow in the footsteps of Daimler Buses, which carried out the first tests with an autonomous bus prototype in real traffic conditions in July 2016 on the streets of Amsterdam, where it covered 20 kilometres.

Finally, it must be remembered that this is an autonomous bus but also an electric one, so it needs battery recharging that is fast and efficient. For this reason, ABB, a leading technology company, has created a fast-charging infrastructure.

This fast-charging system, HVC 300P, is ideal for autonomous charging of buses. With a charging power of 300 kW it will recharge the battery in 3-6 minutes, allowing charging at the end of the route without affecting service time.