With high-tech

State capital receives first self-driving bus

This is what autonomous shuttle buses look like. Nine people can get on, and without a driver, they set off at 20 km/h.(Bild: SURAAA)

Autonomous driving is not only gaining ground in private transport. The ultra-modern technology is also being tested in the public transport sector and will also be on the road in Klagenfurt from July. The first route is currently being prepared.

Autonomous driving will also be offered in Klagenfurt from July. Since Tuesday, a test route over four kilometers from Westbahnhof to Lakeside Park has been in preparation. By law, the vehicle is allowed to drive at a maximum speed of 20 km/h without a driver.

"We started with autonomous driving in Pörtschach back in 2017, and this shuttle will now also be used in Klagenfurt," says Walter Prutej from SURAAA (Smart Urban Region Austria Alps Adriatic). "The accident with material damage that happened in Pörtschach occurred while parking. Parking in Klagenfurt will be fully automated in future, so this can no longer happen."

Our bus is moved with the help of several satellite systems, cameras and sensors.

Walter Prutej

China as a role model for Klagenfurt
A shuttle costs 250,000 euros and the trial is being funded by the EU. "Our bus is moved with the help of several satellite systems, cameras and sensors. It orients itself along a virtual track and travels with an accuracy of 1.5 centimetres," says Prutej. If the worst comes to the worst, a safety officer on board can intervene using a joystick.

Passengers will be able to ride from July. "There would be room for 15, but we only take nine. In China, autonomous shuttles have long been part of everyday life. Klagenfurt is now catching up."