On Jan 1, Tianjin launched its first self-driving shuttle bus that connects popular spots in the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city. The bus has been running trial operations since October.

The bus is the first commercially operated intelligent mode of public transport in the city, offering a green and low-carbon option while allowing tourists to experience a new kind of "smart driving".

The bus has an ocean theme, with its bodywork featuring killer whale, dolphin and jellyfish figures, while the interior marine dolls and other items.

While driving, these dolls sway in line with the bus, as if in the ocean, while at night the bus is illuminated with colorful ocean-themed lights.

During its three-month trial operation, the bus registed excellent performance in terms of comfort and safety.

The bus, equipped with an intelligent self-driving system, can monitor the entire surrounding environment with cameras, radar and millimeter-wave radar. The bus also features functions such as smart lane changing, barricade avoidance, and automatic acceleration and deceleration.

It can also analyze traffic flow during peak hours, pedestrian-heavy periods and traffic light functioning, ensuring a smooth and comfortable experience.

The bus runs between Hilton Tianjin Eco-city and the National Maritime Museum of China. Along the way, the bus stops at Greenway Park, an industrial park and a shopping center, allowing tourists to choose their destination.

The first bus departs from the Hilton Tianjin Eco-city at 9am and the last at 4pm. The bus from the National Maritime Museum of China starts at 10am and ends at 5pm. Bus ticket fare is 20 yuan ($2.73).

There are 145 kilometers of intelligent roads throughout the eco-city, becoming the first region to open fully for operational intelligent vehicle testing in Tianjin.

In recent years, the eco-city has maximized its smart city advantage, promoting intelligent vehicle growth from a series of aspects, including infrastructure, applications and industry ecosystems.

The self-driving tourist bus is a joint effort to integrate intelligent bus industry and low-carbon development.

In the future, the eco-city plans to introduce additional self-driving tourist buses with themes like "Jungle adventure", "Fun bear", and "Gifu dream" to further enrich the tourist experience.