Full stop for autonomous bus in Gothenburg

The Swedish Transport Agency has decided to revoke the permit for trials involving an autonomous bus in Gothenburg, according to Bussmagasinet.se.

The decision means that the pilot project, carried out by Vy Buss in cooperation with Västtrafik and the City of Gothenburg, must be suspended.

According to the Swedish Transport Agency, the decision is based on an overall assessment of the project’s safety. Among the factors cited is a collision between the self-driving bus and a tram shortly after the bus entered regular passenger service at the end of May. No one was injured in the incident, but the accident exposed weaknesses in both the system and the implementation of the trial.

The Swedish Transport Agency emphasizes that the decision is not based solely on the collision itself. During the review of the trial permit application, several risk factors were identified relating to the bus’s driving behavior and the safety operator’s ability to take control in critical situations. The subsequent investigation also found that the accident occurred in a scenario that had already been recognized as a potential risk, and that the prescribed safety measures had not been followed.

On this basis, the Swedish Transport Agency concluded that the conditions required to continue the trial are no longer being met. The permit has therefore been revoked with immediate effect.

Västtrafik stated that the project has now been put on hold. At the same time, the company stressed that the trial period has provided valuable insights into the use of autonomous technology in public transport. No decision has yet been made on whether the project can resume once the necessary improvements have been implemented.

The autonomous bus trial was launched as an important step toward the development of the future of public transport. At the same time, the revocation of the permit highlights the stringent safety requirements that must be met when testing new technology in regular traffic.