The Connector autonomous bus trial in Cambridge began its next phase on 17 December with service entry of a self-driving Alexander Dennis Enviro100AEV battery-electric small bus.
It has commenced running between Trumpington and Babraham park-and-ride sites and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. No fares are charged and the vehicle is run by operator partner Whippet. The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) is managing the trial.
A second Enviro100AEV will join the existing bus on the same route over the coming weeks. They sit alongside an autonomous Mellor minibus at work in west Cambridge. It has carried 800 passengers and covered over 2,000 miles since launch in June.
Funding for the Connector project is from the government as part of the CAM Pathfinder Programme. That is delivered by the Department for Business and Trade’s Connected and Automated Mobility team in partnership with Innovate UK and Zenzic.
The buses are equipped with an SAE level 4 automated drive system from Fusion Processing. Safety drivers are aboard at all times.
The Enviro100AEV recently won Vehicle of the Year at the Self-Driving Industry Awards 2025. It integrates artificial intelligence and high-performance computing with radar, Lidar and cameras to deliver fully-automated driving.
Speaking about the new service, GCP Head of Innovation and Technology Dan Clarke says: “In June, we rolled out Connector, the first ever timetabled self-driving bus service in Cambridge. Now just six months later we are launching two new larger buses as the second part of our passenger trial.
“We believe that there is real potential for self-driving vehicles to deliver sustainable, reliable public transport in Cambridge.”
Alexander Dennis Head of Concepts and Advanced Engineering Jamie Wilson notes how entry into service of the first Enviro100AEV on the Connector trial in Cambridge is “another great milestone for autonomous bus technology in the UK.”
He adds: “This moment builds on years of advanced research, development and testing in multiple projects, and the Connector again sets new standards for what is possible today with the technology of the future.”
Mistral Bus and Coach owns the two Alexander Dennis buses. Managing Director Steve Low says: “This project is an important milestone in bringing safe, zero-emission, self-driving technology closer to everyday public transport.
“We are proud to be working alongside Alexander Dennis, Fusion Processing, GCP and the wider project team on a trial that is helping to build confidence and trust in this emerging technology.”
