A fleet of full-sized autonomous buses is now ferrying passengers along a 15-mile route in Scotland, marking the first service of its kind in the U.K. Five buses are operating between Edinburgh and a location across Scotland’s notable Forth Road Bridge.
A reporter from Sky News who experienced the inaugural ride remarked on the unusual nature of the trip, pointing out that, unlike typical bus rides where passengers can relax without a second thought, it’s hard not to pay attention to every movement the bus makes.
This initiative, known as CAVForth, is a collaborative effort involving Edinburgh Napier University, Bristol Robotics Lab, and Fusion Processing from Bristol, which helped develop the bus’s autonomous technology. The buses are equipped with various sensors to help them safely handle different parts of the route, which includes busy pedestrian areas, bus and train stations, single-lane roads, a 50-mph highway, traffic lights, and roundabouts.
Currently, each autonomous bus has two staff members on board: one to help passengers and handle ticket payments, and a safety driver at the wheel who can take control if an unexpected situation arises. Stagecoach, the company running this service, aims to eventually remove the safety drivers, allowing the buses to operate without anyone behind the wheel.
Stagecoach hopes to use these autonomous buses for around 10,000 passenger journeys each week. The company believes that autonomous vehicles offer many advantages to both the transport industry and society, including safer and more environmentally friendly roads, as well as a better customer experience. Additionally, they could improve access to transportation by reducing operating costs.
They also anticipate that while people may initially be curious, excited, or even a bit nervous, these feelings will quickly turn into enjoyment and acceptance once passengers see that the buses travel safely and effectively meet their needs.
Public transportation with large autonomous buses is quite rare, as most autonomous services use smaller vehicles and are typically limited to enclosed spaces like college campuses, recreational areas, or industrial parks.