Volvo Group Venture Capital today announced a strategic investment in Optibus to advance the transition to electric buses and the digitalization of public transportation operations, the companies said in a press release. Optibus provides an artificial intelligence platform for transit scheduling and route planning.
According to the companies, just 2% of transit buses in the U.S. market are electric, compared with 20% in Europe. As the bus market changes due to digitalization, electrification and new business models, cities and transit agencies will need more advanced software solutions, the companies said. Optibus software is used in more than 1,000 cities worldwide, according to the company’s website.