Innovation In Motion: San Francisco Launches Driverless Bus Service

San Francisco has launched an autonomous shuttle service that will run a seven-stop loop around Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay.

The 10-seater all-electric vehicle, which has no driver's seat and steering wheel, is staffed by an attendant who, if necessary, may drive the bus with a handheld controller.

The shuttle service is provided by the county as part of a grant-funded pilot initiative to evaluate how autonomous vehicles can enhance public transportation.

The shuttles are operated by Beep, an Orlando, Florida-based company which has run similar pilot programmes in various U.S. locations, including service at the Miami Zoo, Mayo Clinic, and Yellowstone National Park.

Shelly Caran, project manager at Beep, clarified that although these buses are not intended to take the place of a bus system, they have a better reaction time than a human and offer a more reliable service because they won’t be distracted.