Johor Bahru Becomes First City To Launch Driverless Tourist Buses

Johor Bahru is taking a big step into the future with plans to introduce a driverless bus service for tourists, making it the first Malaysian city to operate autonomous buses for local and international visitors. 

The move is part of MBJB’s broader effort to transform the city into a smart city hub with high-tech solutions for public safety, traffic management, and tourism.

Dr Choo Kok Wah, Urban Transport assistant director at the Johor Bahru Integrated Operations and Control Centre (JBIOCC), said the autonomous buses are being funded through a Digital Ministry grant. 

Initially, the buses will run on selected tourist transport routes as part of the Visit Johor Year campaign, giving visitors a safe and futuristic way to explore the city.

The autonomous bus initiative is part of MBJB’s wider smart city technology rollout. This includes 30 mobile solar-powered AI CCTV cameras to monitor illegal waste dumping and three drones to assist with field operations. 

The drones can also be used for emergency response, such as delivering Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in cardiac emergencies.

Looking ahead, MBJB plans to deploy around 2,000 AI-powered CCTV cameras at major road intersections to monitor traffic flow in real time. The cameras can automatically adjust traffic light timings to reduce congestion. 

So far, 500 AI CCTV units have been installed since JBIOCC began operations in Dec 2023.