Cambridge self-driving bus starts timetabled service around Eddington and Cambridge West

A timetabled autonomous bus service has started taking passengers around parts of Cambridge as part of a government-backed Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) programme to explore how autonomous buses can safely and effectively integrate into public transport systems.

Connector is a collaboration between the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP), bus operator Whippet, Fusion Processing and other partners. The 15-seater bus will operate between Madingley Road Park & Ride, and around the University of Cambridge’s Eddington neighbourhood and Cambridge West Innovation District.

The trial passenger service is free and all vehicles are supported by trained safety drivers at all times.

The electric autonomous bus is fitted with Fusion Processing’s CAVstar system which brings together a combination of radar, LiDAR, and AI-driven software to enable SAE Level 4 autonomous operation. This allows the bus to operate on-highway in complex urban environments. The technology has been proven in over 90,000km of on-highway real-world applications and trials across the UK and beyond.

Dan Clarke, Head of Innovation and Technology at the Greater Cambridge Partnership, said, “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 Park & 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 people 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.”

Professor Anna Philpott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Resources and Operations at the University of Cambridge, said, “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.”

A full-scale launch of two full-size autonomous buses on a second route to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus will begin later this year.