Alexander Dennis and Fusion Processing join Cambridge autonomous bus consortium

Scottish bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis and Fusion Processing, a leading provider of Automated Drive Systems, have joined the Connector project, a pilot scheme to bring autonomous buses to Cambridge.

The Connector consortium, led by the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP), also includes Gamma Energy, IPG Automotive, dRISK and Stagecoach. The project is funded by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) and industry partners.

Alexander Dennis and Fusion Processing will build three of the trial’s four autonomous buses, for use in the second phase of the trial next year.

Meanwhile the first self-driving vehicle is expected to start running in late summer 2024, with a self-driving bus serving a route from the Madingley Road Park & Ride site around the University of Cambridge’s West Cambridge Campus and into Eddington.

The second part of the trial will see the three newly commissioned Alexander Dennis buses offering services from the Trumpington Park & Ride and Babraham Park & Ride sites to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus from early 2025. All services will run in addition to the existing public transport options in the city.

Alexander Dennis, Fusion Processing and Stagecoach are already involved in the autonomous bus CAVForth project in Scotland which began public operations in May 2023.

Cllr Elisa Meschini, Chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s Executive Board, said, “For Cambridge to thrive now and in the future, the area needs the infrastructure and mass public transport systems to cope with the demand – autonomous vehicles are one part of this solution. It will be really exciting to see what was once considered to be fanciful science fiction to be out on our roads giving people choice in how they travel so I look forward to seeing how the pilots go.”

Andy Williams, Chair of the GCP Smart Working Group, said, “It’s great to welcome Alexander Dennis and Fusion Processing to the Connector project. Their expertise and experience will play a crucial role in bringing innovative self-driving bus services to Greater Cambridge as part of this project. We’re committed to delivering safe, efficient, and important public transport solutions for people who live, work, or visit Cambridge and deliver real benefits to our community.”

Chris Gall, Group Engineering Director for Alexander Dennis, said, “This is a fantastic opportunity to further the development of this technology with our partners as we continue to explore use cases where autonomous buses can improve operational efficiency and add flexibility to transport networks.”