Estonia, Good for Business, Technology, Transport

Bringing the two Easymile vehicles to Tallinn for one and a half months cost in the region of 100,000 euros, two thirds of which was covered by the private sector, Valdek Laur, adviser to the Estonian presidency of the EU Council on digital solutions, told BNS.

Since the buses will be driving on a tram route that is currently undergoing reconstruction, they will not operate beyond August. Negotiations are going on with the owner of the vehicles to keep them on display in Tallinn until the end of September, Laur added.

The buses will start carrying passengers in a few weeks, after passing inspections of the Road Administration. The buses have a capacity of eight passengers.

On each bus there will be a person with driver's license who is responsible for the vehicle and is the driver of the vehicle in the meaning of the law.

The presidency describes these people as presenters of the bus.

The self-driving buses were brought to Estonia from France by DSV and they will be operated here by the developer of tracked vehicles Milrem, which will provide the presenters and be responsible for the buses' technical condition.

Other financers of the project are Guardtime, Tallink, Microsoft Eesti, and the city of Tallinn.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications wishes to boost the competencies of the Estonian state, universities and businesses in the field of driverless vehicle technology to be prepared for broader implementation of the technology. For this the technology offered by different manufacturers is to be tested to learn about the possibilities offered by them and their limits.

From March this year the testing of self-driving vehicles classified as level SAE 2 or SAE 3 vehicles is allowed on Estonian roads, provided that a person has been assigned to the vehicle who can take control of the vehicle when necessary.