Robots as Hosts on Autonomous Buses

Autonomous public transport (APT) offers several advantages, such as reducing accidents and lowering carbon emissions. However, removing the driver also eliminates on-board supervision and a point of contact for passenger inquiries. When there is no authoritative human presence in a bus, passengers could feel unsafe, uncertain or insecure about the current state of their trip. In this project, we are exploring whether social robots could be a viable opportunity to substitute the interpersonal aspect of the bus conductor or driver.