Self-driving bus to begin safety tests in Quzhou

The first self-driving bus in Quzhou, Zhejiang province is scheduled to begin safety tests on Jan 16. The black-and-white bus looks like a panda with two big ears on its top and eye-shaped headlamps. [Photo/qz96811.com]

The first self-driving bus in Quzhou, Zhejiang province is scheduled to begin safety tests on Jan 16 to prepare for its official operations in June, according to the Information Office of Quzhou municipal government.

The 12-meter bus has 22 seats capable of carrying up to 79 passengers.

The bus is equipped with an array of advanced technologies, including automatic driving technology, onboard robots, and human-vehicle voice interaction.

The automatic driving technology can replace human drivers to shuttle passengers on designated routes, including reducing the speed, avoiding barriers and pulling over.

Compared to the current pure electric buses that need to be charged twice a day, one charge is enough for the self-driving bus to run for an entire day.

Passengers can also purchase snacks from the vending machine on the bus by swiping their palms after binding their palm vein data with online payment app Alipay, which should be attributed to the bioidentification technology.

During its trial operation, local residents and tourists are welcome to try out the self-driving bus.

A passenger purchases snack from the vending machine on the bus by swiping his palm after binding his palm vein information with online payment app Alipay. [Photo/qz96811.com]