Pilot Test of Automated Driving Bus at Main Land of Okinawa and Ishigaki Island

Abstract

In Okinawa prefecture, bus services play a major role in public transportation, since there is no railway services except for urban monorail. However, management of the bus transportation service is not easy since many private cars are used for transportation. Automated driving of the buses could reduce cost of the operation and rise the quality of the bus services with improved safety and high-frequency operation. With this background, pilot tests of the automated driving bus were carried out in the main land of Okinawa and Ishigaki island in 2017. The article introduces two pilot tests done in the main land, at Nanjo-shi and in the area extending from Ginowan-shi to Kitanakagusuku-son, and one test done in Ishigaki island.