Title: Advancing Automated Public Transport: How InterAct Is Paving the Way for a Driverless Future
As the future of public transportation shifts toward automation, it promises to tackle pressing challenges such as driver shortages, road safety concerns, traffic congestion, and carbon emissions. Key to realizing this vision is ensuring that automated buses can interact safely and seamlessly with other road users—including cars, cyclists, and pedestrians.
To address this, the Human Machine Interaction for Automated Public Transport Buses (InterAct) project has been launched. Led by DAM Shuttles and supported by partners such as ADASTEC, Applied Autonomy, and Vy Buss, InterAct is focused on improving the communication between self-driving buses and their surrounding environment.
Building on insights from the earlier EIT Urban Mobility-funded LivingLAPT project—which concentrated on smaller autonomous shuttles—InterAct moves the focus to full-size, electric automated buses capable of traveling at regular traffic speeds and eventually operating without onboard safety drivers. This step brings us closer to the reality of a fully driverless public transit system.
Enhancing Human-Machine Communication
A major challenge in automating public transport is the loss of human interaction cues—like eye contact or hand gestures—that traditionally promote safety and trust. Without a driver, how do passengers and pedestrians know if the bus has seen them or if it’s safe to cross the road? InterAct aims to bridge this communication gap with external human-machine interface (eHMI) technology.
These eHMIs, developed by ADASTEC and Applied Autonomy, will include digital displays mounted on the front, sides, and rear of the buses. These screens will clearly communicate messages such as “Bus has detected pedestrian” or “Safe to cross,” offering visual confirmation of the vehicle’s awareness and intentions to those around it.
Real-World Testing in Rotterdam and Stavanger
To validate and refine the technology, InterAct will carry out real-world trials in two major European cities: Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Stavanger in Norway.
In Rotterdam, automated buses operated by DAM Shuttles will run a 5-kilometer route between Meijersplein and Rotterdam-The Hague Airport. These vehicles are set to navigate complex traffic environments that include roundabouts, pedestrian zones, traffic signals, and overtaking scenarios—all while maintaining an average speed of 23 km/h.
Meanwhile, in Stavanger, Vy Buss will test the eHMI in similarly dynamic traffic conditions. The goal is for road users to feel comfortable and safe interacting with the automated buses purely through the new interface—without relying on a human driver’s gestures or expressions.
All test buses will run ADASTEC’s SAE Level-4 automated driving software, flowride.ai, which enables them to manage tasks like stopping at bus stops, recognizing traffic signals, crossing roads, and interacting with other vehicles. Applied Autonomy will collect and analyze performance data to assess how well the systems work in mixed-traffic environments.
A Vision for a Safer, Greener Tomorrow
Automation in public transport isn’t only about convenience—it’s also about creating a safer, more sustainable future. By removing the element of human error and providing consistent, machine-led communication, automated buses could significantly reduce accidents and increase road safety.
Economically, automated systems can help address driver shortages, lower labor costs, and enable the remote management of multiple buses. Environmentally, electric automated buses reduce emissions and contribute to greener urban mobility.
InterAct represents a significant leap forward in achieving these goals and serves as a vital proving ground for the technologies and systems that could soon become a common feature of our public transport networks.
To see the technology in action, watch this video on ADASTEC’s SAE Level-4 automated bus: Watch here
For more details about automated public transport initiatives, visit EIT Urban Mobility.
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