Timetabled trials of the Connector autonomous bus are to begin tomorrow in Cambridge.
Operated by Whippet, the deployment of the free passenger services involving a battery-electric Mellor Orion E minibus represents the latest stage of the Greater Cambridge Partnership project.
The 15-seater bus will run eight times per weekday from Madingley Road Park & Ride and around the University of Cambridge’s Eddington neighbourhood and Cambridge West Innovation District.
Technology from Fusion Processing has been employed as part of the government-backed Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) programme.
The vehicles will be staffed by trained safety drivers and have already undergone on-road testing.
The second part of the trial later this year will see two Alexander Dennis Enviro100AEV used on a second route linking Trumpington Park and Ride and Babraham Road Park and Ride sites with Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
Dan Clarke, Head of Innovation and Technology at the Greater Cambridge Partnership, says: “This is an exciting milestone, but it’s just the beginning.
“People may have already seen the bus going around Eddington and Cambridge West from Madingley Road Park and Ride recently, as, after the extensive on-track training with the drivers, we’ve been running the bus on the road without passengers to learn more about how other road-users interact with the technology.
“We’re now moving gradually to the next stage of this trial by inviting passengers to use Connector.
“As with all new things, our aim is to introduce this new technology in a phased way that balances the trialling of these new systems with safety and the passenger experience.
“This will ensure we can learn more about this technology and showcase the potential for self-driving vehicles to support sustainable, reliable public transport across Cambridge.”
Findings from the trial are due to be published this summer.
Professor Anna Philpott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Resources and Operations at the University of Cambridge, adds: “Innovation and research that contributes to society is at the heart of the University’s mission, and this trial aligns with our vision for sustainable and pioneering transport solutions for everyone travelling to and from our sites. Cambridge West Innovation District and Eddington are fitting locations for such an ambitious and forward-thinking project.”
