COnnected Level 5 UnManned BUSeS
The COLUMBUSS community aims to accelerate the commercial use of autonomous technology in transporting people and goods. Therefore, we develop COLUMBUSS, an open-source system for testing, certifying, controlling, and monitoring autonomous transportation.
The COLUMBUSS autopilot objectifies and automates the operator in transport systems. Operating procedures are the system's algorithms. Thresholds are derived from human performance. The COLUMBUSS AI is transparent (white box), meaningful, and connects to existing certification processes, such as issuing a driver's license. This makes adoption easier, which supports commercialisation.
Real-time certification by continuously monitoring the autopilots’ performance will maintain and possibly improve the stability of transport systems.
Participation in the COLUMBUSS learning community entitles you to use shared sources of hardware and software.
COLUMBUSS is an initiative of robotTUNER, the province of Groningen and Metropole Region Rotterdam Den Haag.
Autonomous Transport Groningen
Commissioned by the province of Groningen, robotTUNER develops the COLUMBUSS autopilot. In 2023, public transporter Qbuzz started testing the autopilot at bus depots. Qbuzz bus drivers contribute to developing the driver reference model using the COLUMBUSS driving simulator.
CAVIDOR Rotterdam
With funding from the Autonomous Transport First and Last Mile program, robotTUNER develops an autopilot kit for buses of various sizes. In 2023, public transporter RET started testing the autopilot kit at bus depots and on public roads with shadow driving. Bus drivers from the public transporters RET and EBS contribute to developing the driver reference model.
AI Innovation Lab for Transporting People and Goods
The AI Innovation Lab for Transporting People and Goods coordinates regional Field Labs located on campuses of technical knowledge institutions in the Netherlands.
Garage of the future
Learning communities are formed around the Field Labs with theoretical and practical knowledge institutions, companies, and governmental organisations.