Four consortia of international and Israeli companies have been chosen to operate a two-year pilot program to test autonomous public transportation in Israel. The Nov. 7 announcement by the Transportation Ministry and the Israel Innovation Authority follows a call for proposals issued in September 2021. In additional to Israel, the consortia includes companies from France, the U.S., Turkey and Noway. The first phase of the NIS61 million ($17.75 million) pilot will consist of experiments at test and operational sites, while the second will be conducted under a temporary license along public transportation lanes. The pilot follows Knesset legislation approved in March 2022 to develop a knowledge base regarding the safety of independent vehicles.