The Future of AI in School Buses: Expectations vs. Reality

August 4, 2022 • 0 Comment

Will your bus driver be replaced by artificial intelligence? Maybe not as soon as you think. AI in school buses is certainly a reality today. This amazing technology is helping out in all kinds of fields, like customer service and video games. It won’t be taking the wheel in your school bus any time soon. However, there are other ways that AI is being integrated into school buses right now. Keep reading to learn how it works.

Expectation: AI Self-Driving School Buses

Everyone has heard about the self-driving cars that are right around the corner. AI self-driving cars have been in development for years now. Yet, the closest thing to autonomous cars we have is the autopilot mode available on Teslas, and even that feature has had issues in the past.

When Tesla’s testing this technology on public roads with untrained drivers — well, let’s just say I don’t know if that’s the most appropriate way to do things,” he added. “And when we do those tests, that data should be shared among municipalities, and at the level of the US DOT. We have plenty of examples of that approach in aviation, where it’s normal for companies to share information and make sure there’s safe service.” – Nikolas Martelaro, Carnegie Mellon University

So, while it would certainly be cool to have self-driving school buses, the technology is not ready yet. That doesn’t mean it won’t ever be a reality, though. Self-driving cars may still be years away, but self-driving trucks could be mainstream technology soon.

This may come as a surprise, considering that tractor trailers are much bigger than normal cars. However, it’s not driving that’s the hard part for an AI, but navigating obstacles on the road. Since trucks spend most of their driving time on highways, the AI essentially just needs to keep the truck in the correct lane and stay at the right speed. There are fewer variables to watch out for, like pedestrians crossing the street.

There are already AI truck companies getting this tech out on the roads, too. Self-driving trucks use sensors and complex AI algorithms to learn how to drive. The lessons and tactics that developers learn from training self-driving trucks could be extremely useful for applying to self-driving school buses one day.

“A lot of people think an ‘autonomous bus’ means that there’s no driver behind the wheel, but I personally believe that’s quite far away.”– Nikolas Martelaro, Carnegie Mellon University ”

AI school buses likely won’t be taking you to school for at least several more years, though. Autonomous driving technology needs to be perfected and fine-tuned before it will be safe for driving something like a school bus or public transportation.

Reality: AI School Bus Safety Technology

Even if it’s not driving the bus, AI still has an important role to play on school buses. Bus drivers do their best, but they are still only one adult trying to look out for a bus full of students.

AI can make school buses safer using a variety of technologies. For example, AI motion detection devices could help prevent accidents using the most cutting-edge sensitivity available. By mounting these AI sensors on the front of buses, school bus fleets could prevent people from accidentally being struck by a school bus, such as small children who may be difficult for drivers to see.

AI cameras for school bus stop arms are also becoming popular. School districts all over the U.S. have begun announcing the addition of these cameras on their buses. For instance, the Pittsburgh Public Schools announced in March 2022 that their school buses would be getting special AI cameras designed to enforce road safety laws around school buses.

It is illegal for other drivers to pass a stopped school bus, yet people break this rule every day. Passing vehicles pose a serious risk to students, who could be crossing the road and not see a car illegally rushing by in the passing lane. The AI cameras that Pittsburgh’s city public school system is adding will take photos of vehicles breaking school bus safety laws. Drivers could then be fined, hopefully encouraging them to follow the rules in the future.

Is AI in School Buses Safe?

While there are plenty of great field trips you can go on remotely, virtual education is turning back to regular in-person classes for most schools today, which means buses are coming back. Your bus could very well have some new AI tech in it soon. These advancements might sound cool, but you might also be wondering whether or not AI in school buses is actually safe. After all, it’s no secret that self-driving cars have run into accidents over the years. One tragedy had Toyota hitting pause on its self-driving bus project:

“We are very sorry that the accident has made many people worried,” Toyoda said. “A vehicle is stronger than a person, so I was obviously worried about how they were. It shows that autonomous vehicles are not yet realistic for normal roads.” – Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota”

Will school buses still be safe to ride on with AI tech onboard?

The answer is yes, of course. Any AI technology that schools and school bus fleets add to their buses has to go through testing and safety checks for months or even years before finally getting the green light. This technology is meant to make the road to and from school safer, end of the story. So, any AI that is being added to your school bus will either be helping to keep you or other drivers safer on the road.

It’s important to remember that school buses will probably be one of the last vehicles to become self-driving. A future full of AI vehicles is exciting, but it’s taking a long time to get there because vehicle manufacturers are working hard to make sure this technology is safe. Considering safety is the number one priority for school buses, we can expect that AI won’t be driving buses until it has become a mainstream, highly trusted technology.

AI Is Coming to School Buses Now

The future of AI in school buses is already here. AI-powered safety technology is helping to keep students and drivers safer on the way to and from school. While school buses won’t be self-driving anytime soon, they are still getting some exciting AI upgrades. These new technologies are designed with safety first, so students can rest assured that smarter buses will make for a safer ride.