Autonomous bus projects are to get a boost from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) using some of the funding allocated to develop public transportation, MOTC Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday.
Lin made the announcement in his opening address to an international forum on autonomous buses at the Regent Taipei.
The development of autonomous vehicles might be a solution to challenges that public transportation systems face, particularly those that arise from demographic changes.
“Taiwan will soon be an ultra-aged society, with one in five people being a senior citizen,” Lin said.
“Rapid urbanization means that in the near future 80 percent of the nation’s population would reside in cities,” he said.
“In this situation, the nation would face a severe shortage of transportation service workers. Likewise, non-urban and remote areas would not be able to sustain growth of public transportation,” he said.
Therefore, the ministry would first focus on autonomous buses, Lin said.
“Mature development of autonomous bus technology would not only address a personnel shortage, but would also enhance public transit quality and quantity issues, as well as addressing congestion in urban areas,” he said. “In non-urban areas, it would maintain a high-quality basic transportation service.”
The ministry would support the development of autonomous buses through three policy changes, he said.
It has budgeted NT$24.5 billion (US$830.09 million) for a four-year project to begin next year that would develop the public transport system, Lin said.
Part of the funds would be used to help public bus operators retire older vehicles, Lin said, adding that operators would be subsidized for purchases of autonomous buses.
The ministry from next year to 2024 is to execute a project to develop intelligent transportation, he said, adding that it would receive NT$4.287 billion.
This project would fund the development of autonomous bus services, Lin said.
“A board of transportation technology was established last year and has identified several new technological developments that have potential for the industry,” he said. “Autonomous buses is among them.”
“The government’s role should be to create a better environment to facilitate investment in innovative services,” Lin said. “I hope that we can form a national development team for autonomous buses that would compete internationally.”
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