Plans for a bus which lets cars drive underneath it were unveiled at a recent high-tech expo in Beijing.

Designers say it can not only save road space but also help to reduce air pollution.

The concept is the brainchild of Beijing-based Transit Explore Bus.

The passenger compartment spans two traffic lanes and sits high above the road surface, allowing other traffic to pass by underneath. Regardless of whether the bus is moving or not, vehicles under 2 meters high can easily get through the gap.

Running along special tracks, the bus will be able to carry up to 1,400 passengers, and travel at a top speed of 60 kilometers per hour.

"The biggest advantage is that the bus will save lots of road space," said Song Youzhou, chief engineer of the project.

He claimed that the bus would have a similar function to the subway, but at 16 percent of the cost. Construction time would also be much shorter, he said.

The design is said to be environmentally friendly as the bus is powered by electricity and could replace about 40 conventional buses.

According to Song, that would represent a potential saving of more than 800 tons of fuel a year and a reduction in carbon emissions of some 2,480 tons.

He said that some Chinese cities had already expressed an interest in the idea and a vehicle is currently being built in the east China city of Changzhou to test the feasibility of the design.

"Our first test bus is planned to be put on track in north China's Qinhuangdao City at the end of July or in August," he said.

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