Driverless buses begin late-night trial runs in Taipei！Don’t be alarmed if you see one without a driver

By MOOK Scenic Spots Chen Wenlin, compiled and reported
 
Driverless vehicles are now appearing on Taipei’s streets too！Starting August 1st, the Taipei City Government will conduct a five-day experimental test of autonomous buses from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. on the exclusive bus lane on Xinyi Road. Initially, no passengers will be allowed, but a live online stream will be provided to let the public participate in the experiment. If there are no major issues, they may consider putting driverless buses on the road. This could not only serve as transportation during off-peak hours, but also help address labor shortages caused by Taiwan’s "one fixed day off, one flexible rest day" policy.

The driverless bus is designed to carry up to 12 people, with a top speed of about 40 km/h. It is equipped with GPS, radar, and an onboard computer, allowing it to follow a set route for autonomous driving. It can also detect obstacles and pedestrians on its own, adjust its path accordingly, and follow rules such as yielding to vehicles on the right or left. In emergency situations, it will automatically apply the brakes.

Driverless buses have been in use abroad for many years, such as in Singapore, Australia, Lyon in France, and Switzerland. They are mostly used on fixed routes in industrial zones, airports, theme parks, university campuses, and hospitals. Currently, Taipei’s self-driving minibuses are undergoing closed-track autonomous driving tests on the two-way exclusive bus lanes on Xinyi Road. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je jokingly said that if citizens spot a bus with no driver in the middle of the night, they shouldn’t panic or get scared.