Saitama Institute of Technology and Fukaya Kanko Bus Co., Ltd. have newly introduced a large self-driving bus in the "Shibusawa Eiichi Rongo no Sato Circulation Bus *" that started operation in February 2021.It is scheduled to run until January 2, 2022 as a foot for visitors to the land related to Eiichi Shibusawa, in line with the NHK Taiga drama "Reach Beyond the Blue Sky" currently being broadcast.
Saitama Institute of Technology's self-driving bus is characterized by being able to travel on public roads at legal speeds by actively adopting AI technology and utilizing the experience and know-how that has participated in many demonstration experiments all over the country.It switches between automatic driving by the system and driving by the driver immediately and smoothly, and drives safely according to traffic conditions.
The newly introduced large self-driving bus was developed by Saitama Institute of Technology with the smart mobility demonstration subsidy of the Saitama Prefecture Advanced Industry Creation Project in 2020, and has a total length of 9 m and a capacity of 58 [23] people.Following the self-driving minibus (Liesse II) with a capacity of 2021 people, which acquired the green number as the first commercial vehicle in Saitama Prefecture from February 2, 16, as a foot for tourists traveling around the land related to Shibusawa Eiichi. It is the first self-driving bus (Rainbow II) in the prefecture to operate regularly.
The large self-driving bus will start automatic driving on a trial basis in some sections from April 4, and the driving sections will be gradually expanded by automatic driving. From April 2, it automatically runs about 4km in the circuit section of the line (circling the Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Hall, Odaka Junchu's House, the former Shibusawa House / Nakanoie, Seinodou, etc.).
* The "Shibusawa Eiichi Rongo no Sato Circulation Bus" is a bus for the Fukaya Kanko Bus, which runs 1 times a day on weekdays and on weekends and holidays at the request of the Fukaya City Promotion Council. There are 1 flights with 7 cars.The large self-driving bus is used as one of the two buses used on weekends and holidays.
