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8 Platform one Autonomous buses are about to hit the roads in the UK and Singapore (writes Nick Flaherty). The first of two Volvo Electric buses will soon begin trials at the Smart Campus of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore before being used on public roads. The single-deck Volvo 7900 Electric is 12 m long and has a capacity of 80 passengers. It comes with Volvo Autonomous Research Platform software that is connected to key controls such as its navigation system, as well as multiple sensors. These include Lidar, stereo vision cameras that capture images in 3D, and a GNSS platform that uses RTK for position accuracy to within 1 cm. The system also uses an IMU for measuring the lateral and angular rate of the bus. That will improve its navigation when going over uneven terrain or around sharp bends. The system will be managed by an AI system developed by NTU researchers. It operates the various sensors and GPS systems on the bus, and enables it to navigate autonomously through dense traffic and tropical weather.  Two buses are being tested on a campus site that replicates various elements of Singapore’s urban roads, such as traffic signals, multiple bus stops and pedestrian crossings, as well as tropical conditions such as driving through heavy rain and partially flooded roads. The site will provide a real-world environment to assess the vehicle’s ability to navigate autonomously into vehicle washing bays and park safely at charging areas. Robotics and automation company ABB has developed a smart fast- charging system that provides 300 kW via a pantograph on the site’s infrastructure to recharge a battery in just three to six minutes. This will enable charging during the layover times at the end of the bus route, without impacting on normal operations. In the UK, First Bus is also operating a bus in autonomous mode, in its depot in Manchester but not on public roads (see page 42 for more details). The bus is fitted with the CAVstar system from Fusion Processing to provide the autonomous operation. This combines radar, Lidar, optical cameras, ultrasound and satellite navigation. Driverless vehicles Fare outlook for buses April/May 2019 | Unmanned Systems Technology Singapore’s NTU is trialling autonomous buses using the Volvo 7900 Electric (Courtesy of NTU)