Self-driving buses resume service today in Tokyo after hitting a visually impaired Paralympic athlete

[mylesillidge]

Self-driving buses back online in Tokyo after hitting Paralympic athlete

Toyota will resume the use of its self-driving buses, e-Palette Pods, at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games today after one hit a visually impaired athlete.

The Guardian reported that the Paralympian, Aramitsu Kitazono, was not severely injured but was forced to drop out of the Games’ judo event on Saturday.

 

[Tacet]

The self-driving bus already had a human operator who activated the emergency break. It will now have two human safety staff members looking out for pedestrians.

One operator, two safety staff members - compared to one human driver in traditional buses. Somehow this doesn't sound like progress.

 

[ShaunSA]

According to a Toyota spokesperson, operators will now control how fast the buses travel, and each vehicle will now have two safety staff members looking out for pedestrians.

Self driving?

 

[The_MAC]

Self driving?

Yes, you drive it yourself.. Or someone else drives it for you

 

[Binary_Bark]

Our buses in RSA don't need a computer to drive over you.

 

[Dylan_G]

The self-driving bus already had a human operator who activated the emergency break. It will now have two human safety staff members looking out for pedestrians.

One operator, two safety staff members - compared to one human driver in traditional buses. Somehow this doesn't sound like progress.

Test and QA in Prod.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

So the bus hit a blind guy. Did the bus not see him, or did he not see it?