The deployment of autonomous urban buses brings with it the hope of addressing
concerns associated with safety and aging drivers. However, issues related
autonomous vehicle (AV) positioning and interactions with road users pose
challenges to realizing these benefits. This report covers unsettled issues and
potential solutions related to the operation of autonomous urban buses,
including the crucial need for all-weather localization capabilities to ensure
reliable navigation in diverse environmental conditions. Additionally,
minimizing the gap between AVs and platforms during designated parking requires
precise localization.
Next-gen Urban Buses: Autonomy and Connectivity addresses the
challenge of predicting the intentions of pedestrians, vehicles, and obstacles
for appropriate responses, the detection of traffic police gestures to ensure
compliance with traffic signals, and the optimization of traffic performance
through urban platooning—including the need for advanced communication and
coordination technology to maintain stability and reliability in high-traffic
scenarios.