Transport for London has presented a road safety plan with the aim of eliminating bus fatalities by 2030. The initiative comes after recording 10 deaths and more than 15,390 incidents in 2025. Improvements include folding seats, automatic braking systems, and driver fatigue alerts, seeking to reduce risks for both passengers and pedestrians and cyclists.
Onboard technology: sensors and anti-fall systems 🚍
The new buses will incorporate proximity sensors that activate automatic brakes when detecting pedestrians or cyclists. Inside, folding seats and redesigned handrails aim to prevent falls during the journey. For drivers, a system monitors signs of fatigue and emits audible alerts. These technical solutions address the critical points identified in the 2025 incidents, from run-overs to impacts inside the vehicle.
The city will be safer, but the folding seat will remain empty 😅
It all sounds great until you remember that folding seats are the ones nobody uses for fear of getting trapped like in a horror movie. Sure, if you manage to avoid falling and the bus brakes automatically for a pedestrian, you might get home without a bruise. By 2030, we just hope the system doesn't mistake a delivery driver for a pedestrian and slam on the brakes, sending us into the next seat.