Regular autonomous bus service becomes a reality in Finland

Helsinki announced plans to launch a self-driving bus service this autumn. The introduction of the RoboBusLine represents a shift from an experiment to regular, scheduled public transport service. The final route, launch date, and schedule of the RoboBusLine will be announced later this year.

The 12 passenger autonomous vehicles have been tested in real traffic conditions in the capital and other Finnish cities since the summer of 2016. The trial continues in Helsinki this summer with the self-driving mini buses serving as a shuttle for passengers travelling from Helsinki’s Mustikkamaa recreational island to Helsinki Zoo. One of the factors that helps self-driving vehicles become a reality in Finland is the Finnish law which does not state that a vehicle must have a driver.

SOHJOA, the robot bus experiment, is part of the EU-financed mySMARTLife program, in which European cities are encouraged to develop energy-efficient mobility solutions to mitigate climate change.

Photo source: sohjoa.fi