The two-stage pilot will examine the viability of integrating self-driving vehicles into Israel’s public transportation system.
By: JNS
Israel’s Innovation Authority announced on Sunday the launch of a two-year pilot program to study the viability of using autonomous public buses.
In collaboration with the Transportation Ministry and Ayalon Highways, the authority selected four groups, including Egged, Israel’s largest bus operator, to begin operating self-driving buses on public roads, according to the IAA.
The state is contributing half of the 61 million shekel ($17 million) required for the two-stage pilot.
In the first stage, the groups will test the technology’s viability from business, legal and safety standpoints, as well as in closed and operational areas. In the second stage, they will operate autonomous bus lines on public roads, with a range that will grow throughout the pilot.
Companies from Israel, the United States, France, Turkey and Norway are among the four groups taking part.
“We chose the four most promising proposals, and are pleased to be among the first in the world to bring autonomous vehicle technology and public transport together. There is still a long way to go but we have no doubt that this initiative has the potential to improve the service and the passenger experience on public transport,” said Ran Shadmi, director of Israel’s National Public Transport Authority, according to the statement.
According to IAA chairman Ami Appelbaum, “In the emerging era of software-driven mobility, Israel has a leading position in the field of smart and autonomous mobility.”
The number of Israeli startups in the field had jumped from 400 in 2016 to more than 600 in 2020, he noted, with the most significant growth being seen in autonomous-vehicle startups, which saw an average annual increase of 26% during this period.
The sector was creating “significant” business interest, with the companies raising approximately a billion dollars in 2021, he said.
Israel, he continued, was creating an “advanced regulatory infrastructure” for the operation of autonomous vehicles. This, together with the activities of the four groups participating in the pilot program, “will eventually turn Israel into a world leader in autonomous public transport pilots, enabling Israeli companies to become global leaders in this sector,” he concluded.
In other news, JNS reported that Tus Airways has received permission to operate flights between Israel and Qatar in advance of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Cypriot airline announced on Sunday.
The festival of soccer will be held in the Gulf nation from November 20 to December 18.
Since Israel and Qatar do not have diplomatic relations, it is impossible to fly there directly. According to the airline, the flight from Tel Aviv will include a “diplomatic layover” in Larnaca.
The return legs will be on the same plane with the same crew and operate in the same manner. Depending on the dates, prices will start at $555.
On Friday, the airline received all necessary permissions from Qatari authorities to operate these one-of-a-kind flights. The maiden journey is scheduled to depart on November 20 and the final flight on December 15. Flights will leave Ben-Gurion Airport between 8 and 9 a.m. and arrive in Doha between 3 and 4 p.m.
(JNS.org)
