Are Self-Driving Buses the Future of Student Transportation?

Nobody in the 1920s could’ve imagined the amount of technology that’s packaged into a tiny mobile phone, much less all the bells and whistles that go into autonomous vehicles. As we see a shift towards autonomous vehicles, the burning question is; will school buses become fully automated? 

To answer this question, an understanding of the industry as it currently stands is vital. So let’s dive deeper into the industry and how things look.

What Are Autonomous Vehicles?

In a world of automation and AI, it’s only fitting that there are vehicles that leverage these technologies. As a result, we have vehicles that drive themselves, which are called autonomous vehicles. 

While self-driving cars have been a thing since the 1980s, they’ve gained popularity in recent years due to Tesla’s “Autopilot” feature, introduced around a decade ago in 2015. As we stand in 2025, self-driving school buses might be a more realistic proposition, considering the propagation of this technology across North America in recent years. 

It’s important to note that in this article, we’re referring to fully autonomous vehicles as those that feature level five self-driving capabilities.

Why Do We Need Self-Driving School Buses?

On paper, it may seem that self-driving school buses will take jobs away from drivers. But the fact of the matter is there’s a growing demand for these buses and here are some reasons why:

Will We See Them Soon?

Self-driving buses are already in use; well kind of. Here’s what adoption for this technology looks like:

What Obstacles Stand in the Way?

With new technology, there are always challenges that need to be overcome. It’s important to understand that innovations in transportation always raise eyebrows and companies have to ensure that all stakeholders are completely satisfied in order to launch such products. 

Having said that, let’s look at what challenges companies working on autonomous school buses are facing:

Regulations

Even though adaptive cruise control and other automated features in consumer vehicles have existed for decades, they all still require driver input because things can always go wrong. For instance, many of these features simply stop working under extreme weather conditions.

Due to technological limitations, strict regulations are in place to protect the students, with instances of autonomous buses being banned. For instance, who is liable when a self-driving vehicle gets into an accident? 

Situations like these can pose a significant challenge in daily operations.

Parent Distrust

AI is a double-edged sword. While some people are willing to risk their lives for the technology, there’s a lot of distrust among others. 

Add in all the extra technology and sensors that these vehicles come packed with, many people view these vehicles as early technology with more parts that can fail.

Do you think self-driving school buses will improve school bus student ridership?

Poll (single answer required):

    Final Thoughts

    Automations and the rapid advancements in technology all point towards self-driving school buses becoming a reality. But we must remember that adoption takes time, especially due to the sensitive nature of safety.

    In the meantime, if you’re looking to modernize your transportation operations, investing in school bus routing software can help you save time, lower costs, and boost safety. Get in touch with us today to learn what we can do for you!

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