Kista Science Center Hosts 5G Autonomous Minibus

The Kista Science Center in Stockholm, Sweden is hosting a trial of a 5G-connected, remotely monitored, autonomous electric minibus. The bus features an internal artificial intelligence (AI) system that detects passengers’ wellbeing and behaviour. The trial is being conducted by a consortium of partners including Keolis, Ericsson, Telia, Urban ICT Arena, Intel, and Tengineering.

The AI system within the minibus can transmit real-time data to the centralised traffic tower and, in return, the vehicle will respond to its commands. The collected data includes counting passengers and tracking items left behind on the bus. Importantly, the system can detect abnormal passenger behaviour and inform the traffic tower if someone is not feeling well. The operator in the tower can then take immediate action by calling a doctor or an ambulance. 

The partners plan to start running trials without a safety driver on board at the end of 2022 and early 2023. 5G connectivity is provided by Telia in collaboration with Ericsson. Intel is delivering processing power to both the IT system in the vehicles and the supervision tower, as well as the mobile network. The vehicle is provided by Swedish technology firm, Tengineering.

“Enhancing everyday lives by making shared mobility smarter and more sustainable is essential for the future of public transport,” said Bernard Tabary, CEO international at Keolis. “As we move towards fully autonomous driving, our demonstration in Stockholm represents an important new step by integrating AI detection sensors to create a safe, comfortable passenger experience. We are extremely pleased with this new development in autonomous driving with our partners in Sweden, following successful trials over the past year.”