A self-driving bus finally takes to UK roads as part of its on-road testing phase. But this isn't just any other bus.
That's because it is the first full-size self-driving bus to ever take the road in Britain, following a host of other smaller-scale autonomous vehicles before it. It is made by the company Stagecoach and will conduct its earliest on-road tests on the roads of Scotland, reports the Independent.
According to the report, the test run is in preparation for the company receiving its first passengers later in summertime. Stagecoach's Sam Greet, who serves as the company's regional director in Scotland, considered it a "hugely exciting project." This is mainly due to the easy access to a new bus route in the country's heartland.
When it is fully operational, the service will allow the company to transport around 10,000 passengers every week. Each bus is able to carry 36 passengers 14 miles across the Forth Road Bridge, where its route starts.
To bring the project to life, Stagecoach joined forces with the company Fusion Processing alongside Transport Scotland. It was also funded with aid from the UK's Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles - a much-needed backing considering how ambitious the entire project is.
Rigorous Testing
These on-road tests follow successful depot-based tests, where the driving systems of the buses were fine-tuned by Stagecoach. The tests included track testing and virtual simulation.
In the end, Stagecoach is able to implement six levels self-driving proficiency on a scale of 0-5. Zero to two means that a designated driver must always supervise the bus. A level of three onwards means that the bus is fully automated with barely any supervision. However, these autonomous vehicles are only allowed this level of automation in limited areas.
Outside of full automation, each self-driving bus will always have a driver keeping tabs on the system, and a bus captain who will engage with the customers when needed.
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Not The First Time A Self-Driving Bus Was Spotted In The UK
As previously mentioned, Stagecoach's self-driving bus is far from being the actual first bus to go autonomous on Britain's roads. It's just the first full-size one, as earlier attempts only involved minibuses.
Among these is Cambridge University's self-driving shuttle, which started operations last year. According to GarageWire, the shuttle's purpose is just to transport passengers around the campus 24/7. This covers routes around the university alongside other more conventional cars.
Another example is a shuttle which started trials at Oxfordshire's Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. But aside from being autonomous, the shuttle is also billed for emitting zero carbon dioxide - an impressive feat especially in today's age of renewed commitments to stopping the climate crisis.
Stagecoach joins these previous efforts in a plan that also stretches back to last year, as reported by ITTHub. Their initial launch date for the service is early summer 2022, and it looks like they're well on their way to make their deadline.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce
