Tallinn (AFP)

The Estonian capital launched tests of two types of autonomous buses with passengers this week in the hope of revolutionizing public transport.

One of the buses offers free walks in a park in the capital of Estonia, a country known for its taste for innovation.

The vehicle mainly transports tourists and locals curious about the experience, but eventually such buses could be used in regular public transport.

The second bus is part of an EU-funded project and transports people around Ulemiste City, a business center near the city's main airport.

According to Andrei Novikov, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn, this project could ultimately lead to "even more environmentally friendly and smarter public transport".

Often nicknamed "e-stonia", this EU member country with 1.3 million inhabitants has forged a reputation as a technology pioneer, the Estonians having notably contributed to the launch of Skype, Transferwise, of the vote electronics and delivery robots.

It is a joint initiative of the Tallinn municipal authorities, the Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) and the French company Navya.

Students accompany the journey as operators and guides of the bus that uses GPS to navigate a pre-programmed route in Kadriorg Park.

The vehicle is equipped with cameras and lidars which are laser remote sensing systems.

In accordance with pandemic restrictions, a maximum of four passengers are allowed on board, and a bottle of disinfectant is waiting for them at the door.

The bus attracts many curious people. One of its operators, Hagar Nakkurt, a 21-year-old student at TalTech, says there are often queues to pick it up.

According to Karol and Jaan, a 40-year-old couple met during a bus tour, it will be a perfect means of transport for parks or on campuses.

"I think it's a bit too slow to serve public transport," said Jaan.

"And he reacts to the slightest obstacle, which makes the trip longer. But it's probably only a matter of time," added Karol.

The plan is to arrive at buses operating without operators, but, according to Hagar Nakkurt, an intermediate step could be to ask operators to guide them from their home.

For the young man, the bus is not difficult to manage, even if he considers as potential obstacles objects as small as the leaves of trees or birds flying over the road.

And during the harsh winters of Estonia, the snow will certainly change the terrain, which may pose an additional problem for the autonomous bus.

© 2020 AFP