Israel launches $17m self-driving public bus project
The Transportation Ministry decided on the companies that would be authorized to launch a two-year pilot program of autonomous public transportation.
Four consortia of international and Israeli companies have been chosen to operate a two-year pilot program to test autonomous public transportation in Israel. The Nov. 7 announcement by the Transportation Ministry and the Israel Innovation Authority follows a call for proposals issued in September 2021. In additional to Israel, the consortia includes companies from France, the U.S., Turkey and Noway.
The first phase of the NIS61 million ($17.75 million) pilot will consist of experiments at test and operational sites, while the second will be conducted under a temporary license along public transportation lanes.
The pilot follows Knesset legislation approved in March 2022 to develop a knowledge base regarding the safety of independent vehicles. The law also aims to determine the impact on traffic congestion and promote public trust.
While the law applies to public and private vehicles as well as trucks, initial approval is expected only for public transportation, at least for the first decade.
