Geneva to have 24-hr driverless bus service from 2025: Report

A 24-hour driverless electric bus service will be deployed in Geneva, Switzerland, from 2025 onwards, local media reported.

The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, Swissinfo.com, reported on Thursday that Geneva has been chosen as one of three European test sites for a full-scale driverless public bus service, part of the Horizon Europe ULTIMO mobility initiative.

According to the report, the other test sites are Kronach (Germany) and Oslo (Norway). A total of 45 vehicles will be deployed, with 15 in Geneva, Xinhua news agency reported.

"ULTIMO will focus on issues such as how to ensure the safety of passengers and react, for example, in the event of accidents or incivilities in the driverless, unmanned shuttles. It will also look at pricing questions, minimum and maximum distances for the bus destinations and the legal framework," the Swissinfo.com report said.

"By offering door-to-door, on-demand, 24-hour transport, the service would be of higher quality. It would also avoid empty trips during off-peak hours and thus reduce some costs. Finally, by responding to demand in real time, queuing and congestion around stations could be avoided," it added.