Shanghai (ZXZC)-On Dec. 2, a self-driving bus started driving from Shenzhen Futian Bonded Zone, Guangdong Province, signifying that the world's first commercial self-driving bus was piloted successfully. The buses are equipped with Alphaba intelligent bus driving system and are manufactured by Anhui Ankai Automobile Co., Ltd.

The self-driving buses look almost the same as normal pure electric buses. The only different feature is several cameras in the front and at the back of the buses. Each self-driving bus has a driver, who only monitors the safety without hands touching the steering wheel. The self-driving buses boast seven safety protective features and are so subtle to detect obstacles on roads.

According to Yu Gang, Chairman of Shenzhen Bus Group, Alphaba intelligent driving bus is the first self-driving bus that tested on the public roads in the world. It also symbolizes Shenzhen Bus Group made a substantial progress in intelligence after it realizing the overall electrification.

By far, the pilot buses have covered a cumulative test range of around 8,000km in three different parts of Shenzhen over the past four months. During the trial operation period, Shenzhen Bus Group will invite passengers to experience the self-driving buses for free. At the same time, transportation data, passenger volume data, operating data of intelligent driving system and public advices will be further improved and optimized. 

Meanwhile, the self-driving system will relax bus drivers, improve the safety of bus operation and also resolve the problem of bus driver shortage. Shenzhen Bus Group will continue to deploy China's future new energy and intelligent bus system in Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen Guangming New District and Shenzhen Dapeng New District, and plans to operate in ten model cities nationwide. 

Developed by Shenzhen Bus Group, the Alphaba intelligent self-driving bus system is revealed to be an overall solution to self-driving system. Based on the locally-innovated and self-owned intelligent driving technology, the Alphaba system integrates a wide variety of technologies like AI, automatic control and visual computing and also is equipped with laser and millimeter-wave radars, a camera, a GPS antenna to sense the surrounding environment.