Self-driving bus market seen growing to $3.99 billion by 2030

The self-driving bus market is forecast to rise from $1.2 billion in 2025 to $1.52 billion in 2026, according to a new report from The Business Research Company. The report points to congestion, urbanization, smart-city spending and electric autonomous fleets as major drivers of adoption through 2030.

Why it matters: - Self-driving buses are moving from concept to a potential tool for easing congestion, cutting operating costs and improving public transit safety. - The market’s projected growth signals rising investment in autonomous mobility infrastructure and software. - Cities facing heavier traffic and labor pressure may see autonomous buses as a way to expand service without adding human drivers.

What happened: - The Business Research Company released its "Self-Driving Bus Market Report 2026 – Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2026-2035." - The report says the market will grow from $1.2 billion in 2025 to $1.52 billion in 2026. - The report forecasts the market will reach $3.99 billion by 2030. - The company made a free sample available here. - The full report is available here.

The details: - The report projects a 27.0% compound annual growth rate in 2026 and a 27.2% CAGR through 2030. - The report links near-term growth to urban congestion, demand for efficient public transport, high costs for human-driven fleets, safety concerns and limited automation in current mass transit systems. - Self-driving buses use sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence to navigate roads, avoid obstacles and follow traffic rules. - The report says these buses are designed to improve safety, efficiency and accessibility. - Growth drivers through 2030 include smart-city projects, autonomous mobility programs, electric autonomous bus fleets, AI-powered real-time navigation, connected vehicle infrastructure and demand for low-emission transit. - Emerging trends include AI-driven autonomous navigation, vehicle-to-everything communication, smart fleet management, electric autonomous shuttles and sensor fusion technologies. - North America held the largest market share in 2025. - Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region during the forecast period. - The report also covers South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South America, the Middle East and Africa.

Between the lines: - The report frames congestion as the clearest near-term use case for autonomous buses, especially in dense urban corridors. - Electric autonomous fleets and connected infrastructure suggest the market is tied as much to city planning and energy transition as to vehicle technology. - A June 2025 data point from the United Kingdom Government Digital Service, part of DSIT, showed local 'A' roads averaged 47.9 seconds of delay per mile, up 2.4% from the prior year, underscoring the traffic pressure behind the market thesis.

What's next: - The market is expected to keep accelerating as smart-city deployments, V2X systems and autonomous transit pilots expand. - The report points to stronger adoption of electric shuttles and fleet-management tools as key developments to watch. - The company says its 2026 reports now include market attractiveness scoring, TAM analysis, company scoring matrix graphics and tables, Excel dashboards, market hotspot infographics, and updated graphics and tables. - For more information, contact Saumya Sahay at marketing@tbrc.info or the company’s listed regional phone numbers.

The bottom line: - Self-driving buses are emerging as a high-growth segment of autonomous mobility, with congestion relief and low-emission transit needs likely to drive the next phase of investment.