An autonomous bus door system eliminates the need for human intervention while closing or opening the door of the bus. This system automatically operates through a network of sensors when any person approaches within a specified proximity of the door only when the bus is not moving. The autonomous bus door has a control system based on pneumatic or electric power for efficiently closing and opening the door. These systems reduce the efforts of bus drivers to monitor whether the doors are open or not; thus, ensuring safety of passengers.
Autonomous bus door systems are also equipped with access control systems that open doors only when a passenger has a valid ticket or pass. This eliminates the hassle of manually checking tickets and provides real-time count of passengers to avoid overcrowding.
Key Drivers of Autonomous Bus Door System Market
Conventional, manually operated bus door systems are incapable to ensure security of passengers. Erroneous opening or closing of the manually operated door causes injury to the passenger. These systems are also unsafe for school buses, as sudden opening of the door when bus is mobile leads to fatal accidents. Various regulatory agencies have recognized these safety concerns in conventional bus door systems and have mandated implementation of autonomous door systems. For instance, the High Court of Chennai, India, ordered the state transportation agency to implement autonomous door systems on all public transport buses. Likewise, the Government of Australia has instructed all bus operators in the country to install autonomous doors. Thus, regulatory transformations that ensure safety of passengers are fuelling the global autonomous bus door system market.
A surge in the migration has been witnessed of people from rural areas to urban civilizations in order to earn a livelihood and explore a fancy lifestyle. For instance, the World Economic Forum stated in a press release of September 2019 that the urban population rose six-fold in 2018 to a total of 4.2 billion people. This growing urbanization has boosted the use of mass transportation, especially buses; thus increasing the number of private and public transit buses. The Transportation Statistics Annual Report 2018 published by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) stated that buses account for 47% of transit vehicles across the country. Thus, growing fleet of buses to cater the mobility needs of urban dwellers is driving the global autonomous bus door system market.
Challenges in Autonomous Bus Door System
High cost associated with procurement and maintenance of complex autonomous bus door systems restrains the market. Furthermore, failure of sensors to detect a passenger in the doorway results in an injury, as the limb of the passenger is likely to get trapped in the door. These concerns related to costs and malfunction of the system hampers the global autonomous bus door system market.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Autonomous Bus Door System Market
The recent outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has fueled awareness about hygiene in public places to arrest the spread of the coronavirus infection. Autonomous bus door systems have contactless operation that minimizes the contact of passengers with door handles, which are most likely to be contaminated. Thus, growing hygiene awareness amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is anticipated to propel the global autonomous bus door system market.
Europe to hold significant share of Autonomous Bus Door System Market
Europe is projected to account for a major share of the global autonomous bus door system market due to growing investments in autonomous vehicles for mass transit. For instance, the European Union has funded a project called Future Automated Bus Urban Level Operation Systems (FABULOS) under which three international consortia have been awarded a contract to operate a fleet of autonomous buses in multiple countries. Moreover, several countries in Europe including Germany, the U.K, and France have initiated smart city projects under which Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes are being constructed. These BRT routes enable transportation agencies to operate autonomous buses. These buses do not have a driver or operator; hence, require mechanisms that automatically operate the doors for passengers. Thus, ongoing investment in autonomous vehicles and infrastructure development programs are propelling the share held by Europe in the global autonomous bus door system market.
Key Players Operating in Autonomous Bus Door System Market
The autonomous bus door system market, is highly concentrated due to the presence of top manufacturers. A few of the key players operating in the autonomous bus door system market are:
Tier 1 Companies
Bode Sud S.p.A.
Circle Bus Door Systems Co., Ltd
Ferro Doors A/S
IVY MACHINERY (NANJING) CO., LTD.
R+W Antriebselemente GmbH
Schaltbau Holding AG
OEM
Daimler AG
Volkswagen AG
Robert Bosch GmbH
Global Autonomous Bus Door System: Research Scope
Global Autonomous Bus Door System, by Offering
Products
Services
Global Autonomous Bus Door System, by Door Type
Sliding
Folding
Gliding
Global Autonomous Bus Door System, by Bus Type
Mini Bus
Inter City Bus
Coach Bus
Caravan
Global Autonomous Bus Door System, by Door Mechanism