Smartbus pilot kicks off: Autonomous Systems and PKM Gliwice test depot autonomous driving

Autonomous Systems has launched the Smartbus Pilot together with PKM Gliwice at the city operator’s depot. At the heart of the project is the use of smartbuses, standard city buses equipped with autonomous driving functions for depot operations.

The pilot uses a minibus fitted with the SmartDEPOT autonomous driving system, designed from the outset to be integrated into standard 12-metre city buses.

Autonomous driving starts in the depot

Depots are controlled environments with predictable rules and clearly defined boundaries, yet they are also dense, space-limited and operationally complex. This makes them the most practical and valuable starting point for introducing bus autonomy.

Automating depot manoeuvres reduces the number of low-speed tasks performed by drivers, freeing up time for passenger service. Removing the most stressful moments at the end of a shift – such as tight-space manoeuvring and parking – improves safety and working conditions.
At the same time, the autonomous system learns from thousands of repeatable, measurable movements performed daily by every vehicle in the fleet.

The Smartbus Pilot marks an important step toward practical and scalable autonomous depot operations. The minibus allows for rapid engineering iteration, while the system architecture is already prepared for deployment on full-size city buses.

“We want to support innovations that are created here in Gliwice and serve our residents. When we say ‘The future is here,’ we truly mean it – and this pilot is a concrete example of that mindset in action. We see real operational value in this direction and a clear opportunity to continue modernising the technical facilities used by public transport operators,” said Mirella Musiolik, President of PKM Gliwice.

“Developing autonomy in Gliwice and testing it together with the municipal transport operator gives us a unique development cycle. We are grateful to PKM Gliwice for their openness, trust and partnership – it is thanks to their support that we can accelerate engineering work and validate autonomy in real operating conditions. The minibus enables rapid iteration, but the goal remains the same: SmartDEPOT™ deployed on full-size city buses,” said Jan Gramatyka, Co-CEO of Autonomous Systems.