It's tempting to frame autonomous driving as a single leap. In public transport, adoption tends to be incremental - because the system is built for reliability, and new capabilities have to fit into daily operations without disrupting service. That is why a practical strategy is evolution, not revolution: introduce autonomy in a defined domain, learn safely in real operations, and expand capability step-by-step.
Autonomous driving starts in the depot, according to A utonomous Systems, which has developed an urban bus capable of moving autonomously within depot areas. Its name says it all: Smartbus. Thanks to SmartDEPOT™ technology, the vehicle can move freely, drive itself to the washing station, park, and recharge - all without a driver behind the wheel or even on board.