Hyderabad: A major step for India’s transport technology, the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad/IIT-H) launched a driverless, fully autonomous electric bus on its campus. The project is a milestone moment in the nation’s progress towards embarking on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and sophisticated robotics in public mobility.
The driverless bus, which is a result of collaboration with a start-up in Hyderabad, is fitted with the latest sensors, high-definition cameras, LiDAR technology, and artificial intelligence-based navigation systems.
Features of the driverless bus
The vehicle can spot roadblocks, navigate routes, and adjust to changing traffic and weather conditions using these systems without the need for human driving.
Made for campus and controlled environment operations, the bus has a capacity to carry about 15 people in one go.
The bus runs purely on electric power, which makes it environmentally friendly and cost-effective.
The project is part of the institute’s grand vision to innovate indigenous autonomous transport solutions that can be implemented someday in smart cities, industrial areas, and gated communities, say IIT-H officials.
Driverless bus trial on IIT Hyderabad campus
The trial process will concentrate on performance evaluation, safety verification, and optimising software algorithms to deal with real-world issues.
Though initial operations will be restricted to the IIT-H campus, scientists anticipate extending the use of such autonomous cars to public roads once regulatory clearance and infrastructure are achieved.
With this launch, IIT Hyderabad has taken the lead in India’s driverless car revolution, opening the doors to a future when intelligent, self-driving electric transport could be a common feature all over the country.
