"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."
"By eliminating repetitive end-of-shift maneuvers, Smartbuses can reduce the risk of minor collisions and lower driver stress and fatigue levels. The project has already won over MZA Warsaw, the largest public transport operator in Poland, which was the first to publicly test a Smartbus in Warsaw in June 2025. Their evaluation shows that depot-based autonomy saves 35 minutes per bus per day, which translates into about €88,000 in labour cost savings per vehicle over a 12-year lifecycle."
Autonomous Systems built the Smartbus, an urban bus using SmartDEPOT™ technology to move autonomously within depot areas to wash, park, and recharge without a driver on board. Depot autonomy reallocates driver time to passenger service, speeds vehicle readiness, enhances safety, and improves working conditions by eliminating repetitive end-of-shift maneuvers that cause minor collisions and driver fatigue. MZA Warsaw publicly tested a Smartbus in June 2025 and reported depot autonomy saves 35 minutes per bus per day, equating to about €88,000 labour savings per vehicle over a 12-year lifecycle. MPK Poznan is assessing operational use and TMB Barcelona has expressed interest. The technology will be showcased at Busworld Europe 2025.
Read at Sustainable Bus
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