Hsinchu County is a cultural, technology and smart city. It has the advantages of the Hsinchu Science Park and science and technology industries. In order to improve public transportation, the county government has collaborated with the Industrial Technology Research Institute, Yosemite-Bus Inc., Mobiletron Electronics Co., Ltd., and MaxWin Technology to promote the Hsinchu County High Speed Rail Self-Driving Shuttle Experimentation Project. It is the first daytime mixed autonomy traffic road test project in the country. The project will integrate smart collision avoidance features and smart stop features. The road test will be conducted in stages, beginning with no passenger on board to free passenger service, then extending to urban bus operations and eventually becoming a part of the technologically smart city.
Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke said that Hsinchu County has a comprehensive science and technology industry chain built around the Hsinchu Science Industrial Park. The development of self-driving vehicles will not only fulfill local transportation needs, but more importantly, they will comprehensively enhance the value of smart technology industry. The county government team is also working hard towards the prosperity of the next 30 years. Equally important as the five visions for constructing the International AI Smart Park; the Taiwan Knowledge-based Economy Flagship Park; the Hsinchu Science Park Special District Urban Planning Renewal--Hsinchu County (Zhudong Township) (Second Comprehensive Review) Project; an incinerator; and the Life Memorial Park, the county government has also been actively developing smart services according to the daily needs of county residents. It has successively launched the mobile library App, made the popular Neiwan Old Street a pilot AI retail business district, constructed a technology command reporting system, and established a smart welfare system platform that integrates various services for public convenience.
Magistrate Yang Wen-ke thanked the Ministry of Economic Affairs for approving the collaboration of the Industrial Technology Research Institute, Yosemite-Bus Inc., Mobiletron Electronics Co., Ltd., and MaxWin Technology through the Unmanned Vehicles Technology Innovative Experimentation Program to develop and introduce the smart self-driving bus to Hsinchu County. Hsinchu County has become the first county and city in Taiwan to launch mixed autonomy traffic for commercial transit. He hopes that in the future, smart self-driving buses will become a part of the urban bus system for resolving gaps and labor shortage in public transportation.
The program will be officially launched on April 15th. The route will depart from Gaotie 7th Road next to the Hsinchu High Speed Rail Station, and pass through Wenxing Road, Jiafeng 5th Road, Guangming 6th Road and Zhuangjing North Road. In the first stage, the vehicle will not be carrying any passenger, and test runs will be carried out at night (from 22:00 pm to 1:00 am the next day). Later test runs will be conducted during the day (from 9:30 to 15:30 ). In the second stage, free passenger service will be provided, and in the final stage, the vehicle will be included into the actual operation of urban buses.
The Industrial Technology Research Institute pointed out that the Hsinchu County High Speed Rail Self-driving Shuttle Project has three major breakthroughs. The first is a "big breakthrough in roads." It is the first mixed autonomy traffic for urban commercial transit in Taiwan. The test runs for the mixed autonomy traffic will increase the ability of the computing system to process the complexity of people, vehicles, roads and other information. Next is the "broad vision of smart collision avoidance." The iRoadsafe Internet of Vehicles technology is combined with integrated roadside systems communication; sensors; and traffic information such as signs and facilities, to improve operational safety. Lastly, it is the "Smart Stop Link" which can grasp schedule information, set up a traffic control center to detect the flow of waiting passengers, adjust vehicle dispatch in real-time, and constantly monitor the driving path of the self-driving electric buses.