Guiyang Public Transport creates 2nd autonomous bus route

The State-owned Guiyang Public Transport Co, together with Guizhou Transportation Planning Survey & Design Academe Co and PIX Moving, launched the city's second autonomous bus route in Huaxi University Town through their joint venture, the Guizhou Kanshe Taiyu Tanxing Technology Co, on Sept 1.

Autonomous buses are parked at a bus station. [Photo/Guiyang Evening News]

The new service seamlessly connects Tongmuling Station on Metro Line 3 with Huaxi University Town, marking another step forward after the debut of Guiyang's first driverless bus line in May.

An autonomous bus moves on the road. [Photo/Guiyang Evening News]

The 10-kilometer route links Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guizhou Normal University, Yelang Valley Scenic Area, and Guiyang City Vocational College, serving the daily travel needs of over 275,000 students and faculty. "The route connects metro stations, campuses, and tourist destinations, creating a true 'metro + autonomous bus' transport network that makes commuting smarter and more convenient," an official of the Guizhou Kanshe Taiyu Tanxing Technology Co said.

The buses are L4-level autonomous vehicles featuring a futuristic design without steering wheels or rearview mirrors. Equipped with lidar, millimeter-wave radar, and cameras, they provide 360-degree real-time road sensing. Passengers are greeted by panoramic smart doors that open automatically upon approach, adding to the sense of technological sophistication.

"We conducted over 6,000 km of testing in Huaxi University Town to train the system to respond like a human driver," said Zhang Runze, a safety engineer at PIX Moving. Each vehicle is accompanied by a safety officer ready to take control if necessary.

To date, Guiyang's two autonomous bus lines have logged more than 15,000 km in operation and served over 3,000 passengers, becoming a vivid example of integrating public transport with artificial intelligence.