Come for a ride in a self-driving car!

The Autonomous Driving Lab at the University of Tartu Institute of Computer Science offers technology enthusiasts the opportunity to experience a ride in the University’s self-driving car. This is an annual initiative by the lab to assess the maturity of the autonomous technology and to introduce them to a wider audience.

Book your drive

The car operates within the city of Tartu, travelling from bus stop to bus stop, accompanied by a safety driver and a computer operator to ensure safety of the journey.

You can book a ride either individually or for a small group. The back seat accommodates 2–3 passengers. In addition to the demo ride, participants may also choose to take part in a more in-depth interview about the adoption of autonomous technologies.

On the day you have selected for the drive, you will receive a code on your phone that allows you to log into traxi.ut.ee. The web application that opens is similar to a taxi app on your phone. To begin, you need to select your starting point and destination, and the system will find the nearest bus stops for both. These can also be adjusted if needed. After placing your request, the self-driving car will start heading towards you, and you can track its route, speed, and current actions in the app. For example, waiting at a traffic light. Once you are seated in the car, you must confirm that you are on board, and the journey will continue to your destination. Upon arrival, you must confirm that you have exited the vehicle, after which the car will continue its route.

The Autonomous Driving Lab at the University of Tartu Institute of Computer Science was established in 2019 in collaboration with Bolt. The lab’s aim is to validate the maturity of autonomous technologies and assess when they are ready for commercial use.

Screenshot of the web application:

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Operating area (map of Tartu city bus routes):

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