UK’s first full size autonomous bus carries passengers for the first time

Stagecoach has successfully transported its first group of passengers in a trial in east Scotland.

The project, named CAVForth, which is part funded by UK Governments Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, was the first registered service in the UK to use full sized autonomous buses. Edinburgh Napier University is a partner in the project. CAVForth is part funded by the UK Government and is a partnership between Stagecoach, Fusion Processing, Alexander Dennis, Transport Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, Bristol Robotics Lab and the University of the West of England.

A fleet of five Alexander Dennis Enviro200AV vehicles covered a 14-mile route, in mixed traffic, at up to 50mph across the Forth Road Bridge from Ferrytoll Park & Ride in Fife to the Edinburgh Park Transport Interchange.

As part of the testing process, Stagecoach invited a group of passengers from its co-design panel to travel on the route to get feedback ahead of a full public launch of the service in the spring. The Co-Design Panel is a diverse group of local bus users who have volunteered to help Stagecoach and its project partners design how an autonomous bus service should work. Their insights have informed key aspects of the autonomous vehicle trial.

Read more in Route One, ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle, Bus & Coach Buyer, Insider, Citti & Glasgow Chamber of Commerce

More information on the Transport Research Institute’s research can be found here.