Transport systems
In Europe, cities in Belgium, France, Italy and the UK are planning to
operate transport systems for automated cars, and Germany, the
Netherlands, and Spain have allowed public testing in traffic. In 2015,
the UK launched public trials of the LUTZ Pathfinder automated pod in
Milton Keynes. Beginning in summer 2015, the French government allowed
PSA Peugeot-Citroen to make trials in real conditions in the Paris area.
The experiments were planned to be extended to other cities such as
Bordeaux and Strasbourg by 2016. The alliance between French companies
THALES and Valeo (provider of the first self-parking car system that
equips Audi and Mercedes premi) is testing its own system. New Zealand
is planning to use automated vehicles for public transport in Tauranga
and Christchurch.
In China, Baidu and King Long produce automated minibus, a vehicle with
14 seats, but without driving seat. With 100 vehicles produced, 2018
will be the first year with commercial automated service in China. Those
minibuses should be at level 4, that is driverless in closed roads.
Potential advantages