(AutomotiveInterestingTechnology) Volkswagen has demonstrated the world’s first live use of quantum computing via its ‘Quantum Shuttle’ to help optimize traffic routing. During the trial, nine public transit buses used a traffic management system developed by Volkswagen scientists in the USA and Germany, powered by a D-Wave quantum computer to calculate the fastest travel routes individually and in near-real time.
The Quantum Shuttle vehicles successfully drove guests from the airport to the venue of the downtown conference, with 26 stops. The algorithm calculated the fastest route for each individual bus in the fleet and optimized it in near-real time. Through tablets in every bus, drivers were able to avoid traffic bottlenecks along the route, dodging traffic jams before they even arose.