The trial will last two weeks
The trial will last two weeks
Testing of the UK's first full-sized driverless bus are under way in Scotland.
During the two-week trial, the autonomous single-decker vehicles will be tested on a 14-mile route between Edinburgh and Fife.
Similar trials of smaller, shuttle buses have been previously carried out in London, Cambridge and Birmingham, while another driverless bus pilot is due to start in Inverness later this year.
A driver will still be on the bus as a back-up initially for passenger safety and to comply with UK legislation. However, it is hoped that passengers will be on-board later this summer.
The Project CAVForth pilot, which is jointly funded by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), will see five single-deck autonomous buses operating over the Forth Road Bridge between the Ferrytoll Park and Ride in Fife and the Edinburgh Park Train and Tram interchange.
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The buses are fitted with Fusion Processing’s sensor and control technology, CAVstar, which enables them to run on pre-selected roads without the safety driver having to intervene or take control.
The buses will provide a service capable of carrying up to 36 passengers over the 14 miles across the bridge, with capacity for over 10,000 passengers a week.
The aim of the project is to help to reduce journey times and improve the service for all buses of 24 seats or more on the approach to Edinburgh.
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 today. 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.'
Chris Gall, ADL Group Engineering Director, added: '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. As we move towards passenger services later in the year, the project will be a landmark demonstration of future technologies in transport.'
