China has run an inaugural test on an elevated bus that can drive over traffic.
The Transit Elevated Bus straddles the traffic below, meaning cars pass beneath the 72-ft. by 25-ft. bus, according to the BBC. The trial run was conducted on a controlled track in the northeastern city of Qinhaungdao.
The bus, which runs on rails laid along the road, features a large passenger cabin that can carry up to 300 people at once.
Developers unveiled plans for the bus back in May, describing it as a solution to deadly air pollution and crippling traffic in Chinese cities.
One elevated bus could replace 40 conventional buses, according to the engineering firm that designed it. “The TEB has the same functions as the subway, while its cost of construction is less than one fifth of the subway,” engineer Bai Zhiming told news outlet CCTV, according to the BBC.
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