Driverless buses plan for Paris

Autonomous vehicles have been operating along a dedicated route in the Bois de Vincennes for 18 months.

This route will be extended by 5km and will include, for the first time in Paris, use of a shared traffic lane with other vehicles.

Two other trials planned by public transport operator RATP – on the left bank in the 13th arrondissement, and connecting a car park and an RER station in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (Yvelines) – could see autonomous buses in traffic by the end of this year.

Currently, an “emergency driver” must be on board to take control if necessary but plans are being developed to allow for remote supervision by “an operator following a few shuttles, but in fairly close visibility”.

Ultimately, once 5G technology is in place, RATP hopes to set up a control hub from which it would operate multiple autonomous operations.