Master’s in Autonomous Urban Buses and Shuttles Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in urban autonomous bus and shuttle engineering: 12 modules covering vehicle platforms, urban perception and localisation, bus planning and control, infrastructure, control-centre operations, passenger safety, validation, regulation, service planning and economics, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Autonomous Urban Buses and Shuttles Engineering — studying from Canada
Canada hosts growing activity in autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance, with research centres and companies in Ontario, Québec and British Columbia. Toronto and Waterloo have significant artificial intelligence and robotics ecosystems, and the Vector Institute and university labs contribute to perception and control research. Automakers and suppliers are developing software-defined vehicle architectures, requiring expertise in embedded software, sensor fusion and cybersecurity. Regulation is coordinated through provincial authorities and federal guidance from Transport Canada.
Fees for Canada: C$15,500 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Does this qualification count toward a professional engineering licence in Canada?
No, not on its own. In Canada, the Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) licence is issued by provincial associations such as Professional Engineers Ontario, which require accredited education and experience. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so they are not recognised as state degrees. Employers or relevant bodies decide whether they value the training, so confirm this in advance.
Are there Canadian employers hiring for autonomous and software-defined vehicle skills?
Canada has active work in autonomous systems, advanced driver assistance and vehicle software, with activity in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. Employers generally assess candidates on technical ability, project evidence and experience. A SEIUM final project can showcase your skills, but how a private qualification is regarded depends entirely on the employer, so ask prospective employers what they expect.
Can I manage this training with a job, and do I need English proficiency?
Yes, the courses are 100% online, so you can study from home, and no student visa is needed to study from outside your country. Specialist courses take 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and master's programmes 1,900. Instruction is in English, so you should be comfortable reading and writing technical English. Instalment payments and employer sponsorship may ease costs.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse the role of autonomous buses and shuttles in public transport.
Specify vehicle platforms for autonomous service.
Design perception, localisation and control for urban routes.
Adapt infrastructure and stops for autonomy.
Design operations and remote supervision.
Manage the regulatory authorisation of the service.
Develop an autonomous bus or shuttle project.
Who it's for
- Autonomous bus engineers.
- Public transport planners.
- Autonomous fleet operations managers.
- Validation engineers for automated vehicles.
- Urban mobility consultants.
- Connected infrastructure engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter public transport.
What you'll work with
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1426 (type approval of automated driving systems)
- UN ECE R107 (construction of buses and coaches)
- ISO 34503 (ODD taxonomy for automated driving systems)
- ISO 21448 (SOTIF — safety of the intended functionality)
- ISO 26262 (road vehicle functional safety)
- Regulation (EU) 2018/858 (vehicle type approval)
- DGT Instruction 15/V-113 (testing of automated vehicles in Spain)
- ISO 22737 (low-speed automated driving systems for predefined routes)
- Autoware
- CARLA
- SUMO
- PTV Visum
- ROS 2
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Autonomous buses and shuttles around the world1.2Types: minibus, standard bus and articulated bus1.3Fixed-route and on-demand services1.4Role in the public transport network1.5Leading European pilots1.6Technological and regulatory barriers1.7Expectations of transport authorities1.8Operating models with and without a supervisor1.9Evaluation of completed pilots1.10Case study: lessons from a European shuttle pilot
2.1Vehicles designed for autonomy2.2Adapting conventional buses2.3Drive-by-wire architectures in buses2.4Electric propulsion and energy range2.5Steering and braking redundancy2.6Accessibility and automated ramps2.7Capacity and interior layout2.8Vehicle type approval2.9Fleet maintenance2.10Lab: specification of an electric shuttle
3.1Sensor suite of autonomous buses3.2Detection of nearby vulnerable road users3.3Perception at stops and platforms3.4Precise localisation for docking3.5Localisation in urban canyons3.6HD maps of fixed routes3.7Perception with connected infrastructure3.8Adverse weather conditions3.9On-route validation3.10Practical exercise: localisation for docking at a stop
4.1Dynamics of long vehicles4.2Path-tracking control on fixed routes4.3Precision docking at stops4.4Managing standing passengers and comfort4.5Manoeuvres at roundabouts and tight turns4.6Interaction with bus lanes4.7Traffic-signal priority for the bus4.8Handling incidents on the route4.9Control in depots4.10Workshop: docking controller in simulation
5.1Stops adapted to autonomous vehicles5.2Connected traffic-signal priority5.3Roadside units along the route5.4Signage and markings for autonomy5.5Automated depots with autonomous parking5.6Automated pantograph charging5.7Communications with the control centre5.8Infrastructure sensors5.9Adaptation costs5.10Lab: design of an intersection with priority
6.1Remote fleet supervision6.2Vehicle-to-supervisor ratio6.3Incident management and assistance6.4Timetable and frequency planning6.5Integration with AVL/CAD operating systems6.6Fleet energy management6.7Service indicators6.8Passenger service6.9Service continuity6.10Practical exercise: line operation simulation
7.1On-board passenger information7.2Safety without a driver on board7.3Video surveillance and privacy7.4Assistance for people with reduced mobility7.5Emergency management7.6Communication with the control centre7.7Universal accessibility of the service7.8User acceptance7.9Satisfaction surveys7.10Case study: assistance protocol for passengers with reduced mobility
8.1Service risk analysis8.2Route-specific safety argumentation8.3Validation based on urban scenarios8.4Track and on-route testing8.5Accumulated mileage and metrics8.6In-service monitoring8.7Incident management8.8Independent safety assessment8.9Authorisation requirements8.10Workshop: validation plan for a route
9.1European regulation of automated systems9.2Authorisation of services in Spain9.3DGT testing permits9.4Passenger transport regulation9.5Employment requirements for the supervisor9.6Liability insurance9.7Accessibility regulations9.8European regulatory experiences9.9Regulatory trends in autonomous transport9.10Practical exercise: pilot authorisation dossier
10.1Selection of candidate routes10.2Route demand analysis10.3Integration with the existing network10.4First- and last-mile services10.5On-demand services10.6Fleet planning10.7Infrastructure planning10.8Public participation in design10.9Impact assessment10.10Case study: design of a feeder line
11.1Operating costs with and without a driver11.2Cost of the vehicle and the autonomy kit11.3Public service contracts11.4Innovation procurement tenders11.5European funding for pilot projects11.6Social cost–benefit analysis11.7Operator risks11.8Scaling pilots into services11.9Business models11.10Workshop: cost–benefit analysis of a line
12.1Route and service selection12.2Vehicle specification12.3Perception and control design12.4Infrastructure adaptation12.5Operations design12.6Validation plan12.7Economic analysis of the service12.8Conclusions and recommendations12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, making it compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is Autoware, CARLA, SUMO, PTV Visum and ROS 2, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures from on-route validation with a safety supervisor, line operation simulation and docking tests at stops. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1426 (ADS), UN ECE R107, ISO 34503, ISO 21448, ISO 26262, Regulation (EU) 2018/858 (type approval), DGT Instruction 15/V-113 (testing of automated vehicles), ISO 22737.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Autoware, CARLA, SUMO, PTV Visum and ROS 2, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme's software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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