1
NEWS
Remote-control buses to win confidence
Ericsson and Scania are trialling remote-control buses in Sweden using the next-gen 5G networkWhile much of the buzz surrounding the future of road transport centres on autonomous vehicle, two leading Swedish multinationals are also focussing their efforts on what they see as a 'middle step' on the journey to driverless cars, trucks, and buses.
Telecommunications giant Ericsson and trucking behemoth Scania are hard at work on a viable bus system that is driven not by computers, but by a human – via remote control from a central operations base.
Winning confidence
Ericsson says ultimately having a human in control of the bus will partially alleviate any passengers' concerns about the lack of a traditional driver being behind the wheel.
"While autonomous vehicles could revolutionise mass transportation as we know it, their safety has been widely debated," states Ericsson in a recent report titled, Remote Operations of Vehicles with 5G. The report is an extract from the firm's larger Ericsson Mobility Report.
"To address this concern, remote operation brings a safety mechanism that allows public buses to be monitored and controlled by a remote operator from a distance, if needed."
The company says this will lead to a growing acceptance of such technology, ahead of the implementation of fully autonomous vehicles.
Fast phone network
Key to the trail, which is being conducted in conjunction with Scania near the truck manufacturer's global headquarters in Sodertalje, Sweden, is the development of the next-gen 5G mobile phone network, which affords a dramatically faster wireless transfer of data than the existing 4G network.
The 5G network will be fast enough for a remote bus operator to view the buses' immediate surroundings in real time, allowing pinpoint control of the vehicle to mirror that of any traditional driver.
The concept of remote-controlled full-size vehicles isn't new – in fact many mines around the world, including some here in Australia, already have dump trucks and front-end loaders controlled from sites located hundreds of kilometres away from the mine in question.
Several of the trial Scania buses were demonstrated recently at Mobile World Congress 2017, where the vehicles were deployed and then driven remotely – and simultaneously – using a 5G testbed radio.
Enhanced reliability
The report also says that instances of mechanical delays will fall as the buses themselves are increasingly tailored for autonomy and remote operation, rather than simply being converted from today's driver-controlled vehicles.
Seems that whether we're ready or not, the prospect of travel in a vehicle without a steering wheel is drawing ever closer…
Scania is currently examining a number of emerging automotive technologies, including truck platooning and alternative fuel sources.
Share this article
Written byRod Chapman
See all articlesStay up to dateBecome a trucksales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todayRelated articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Consent