Israel begins operating self-driving buses on public route

JERUSALEM, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) — Israel has started operating self-driving buses on a public route, the country’s Ministry of Transport and Road Safety said Thursday in a statement.
The route, approximately 8 km long, is located in the northern Mediterranean city of Nahariya. It starts and ends at a shopping mall and passes through a central area of the city with many roundabouts, crosswalks, and heavy traffic.
During the trial, an accompanying driver is on each bus to verify the proper functioning of the autonomous system. Subsequent operations will involve passengers, without any driver. ■