On July 17, at Haikou Meilan International Airport, a passenger shuttle bus marked with the words “autopilot” slowly entered the boarding station on the T2 viaduct. This marks the launch of Hainan Free Trade Port’s first airport open road autopilot shuttle bus demonstration project. It is also the first application of autopilot technology within an airport in Hainan.
The innovative autopilot shuttle bus testing project is conducted by Meilan Airport in collaboration with Shanghai NIO User Enterprise (Hainan) Intelligent Services Co., Ltd. The project aims to improve passenger service quality and efficiency at Meilan Airport through convenient and intelligent services. It mainly operates on a loop route between the T1 and T2 viaducts. Passengers can take the autopilot shuttle bus for free outside Gate 5 of the T1 and T2 departure halls. The shuttle operates from 7:00 AM to 4:00 AM the next day, with buses running every 30 minutes.
The reporter learned that, each autopilot shuttle bus at Meilan Airport is equipped with a safety officer who monitors the entire journey and handles emergencies. The buses are equipped with LiDAR sensors and high dynamic range camera modules at both the front and rear, allowing them to detect other vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, traffic lights, road markings, and various traffic signs. In a conventional road environment, these buses can perform tasks such as lane changes, entering and exiting stations, and passing through intersections without driver intervention. Additionally, the autopilot shuttle buses use an intelligent driving system combined with LiDAR capabilities to perceive the position, speed, size, and direction of targets, enabling the detection and tracking of the surrounding environment and providing safe, precise, and efficient decision-making for autopilot operations.