The UK is set to get its first ever driverless buses as they take to the roads in Scotland for ‘live road testing’.
The two-week long CAVForth pilot scheme will see five single-decker autonomous buses travel routes in Edinburgh and Fife from Tuesday (26 April), and if all goes well it’s hoped the buses will be launched properly in the summer.
The buses, which are operated by Stagecoach East Scotland, will travel passenger-free between Ferry Toll Park and Ride in Fife and the Edinburgh Park train and tram interchange.
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Sam Greer, regional director for Stagecoach in Scotland, said: “Stagecoach is continuing to look for ways to improve the service it offers to customers, including through major investment in new technology, such as the CAVForth pilot.
“This is a hugely exciting project for Scotland, and we are pleased to be starting live testing on roads this week.
“This is a major step forward in our journey to fully launch the UK’s first full-sized autonomous bus service and will provide easy access to a brand-new bus route in the heart of East Scotland.”
The vehicles are fitted with special sensor and control technology from Fusion Processing which allows them to run without a driver on pre-selected roads without the need for a driver.
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The latest round of testing comes after several other tests, including a virtual simulation and depot-based trials.
Stagecoach bosses are hoping to launch the service in the summer and will be recruiting 20 'autonomous bus professionals’, who will be on hand to monitor the system, while a ‘captain’ moves around the bus as a computer does the driving. Clever, eh?
Chris Gall, ADL Group Engineering Director, said: “The start of on-route testing is a milestone for our autonomous bus project.
“In partnership with Stagecoach, Fusion Processing and Transport Scotland, Project CAVForth helps us to explore new technologies that will make buses even safer and even more efficient.
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“As we move towards passenger services later in the year, the project will be a landmark demonstration of future technologies in transport.”
Jim Hutchinson, chief executive of Fusion Processing, said: "CAVForth will provide a useful service to local people as well as being a great demonstration of Fusion's automated vehicle technology.
"On-road testing is an exciting milestone in the development of autonomous commercial vehicles and we look forward to welcoming passengers onboard in a few months' time."
Claire Reid