The Automated Bus Consortium, a collective of U.S. transit agencies and departments of transportation, has released a request for proposals (RFP) to procure up to 70 full-size Level 4 automated buses.

This is a designation of highly automated vehicles as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Level 4 buses operate in pre-determined environments and still have drivers, steering wheels and pedals. These vehicles will be deployed in revenue service on pilot routes selected by each participating agency, resulting in advancements in understanding the impacts of automation.

The RFP represents the first-ever battery-electric automated bus procurement and large-scale deployment for full-sized buses, and was issued by the State of Michigan, which is serving as the lead procurement agency on behalf of the consortium agencies.