Scotland Embarks on Autonomous Bus Trials

This week marks the beginning of live testing for the UK’s first full-sized autonomous bus in Scotland, part of project CavForth. Stagecoach, teamed up with Fusion Processing, Alexander Dennis, and Transport Scotland, will be conducting tests on the road over the next two weeks in preparation for launching the CavForth pilot service later this summer. During this phase, the bus will not carry any passengers.

The CavForth project, funded in part by the UK government’s Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), will deploy five single-deck autonomous buses operating at SAE level four. These buses will run over the Forth Road Bridge, connecting Ferrytoll Park and Ride in Fife with the Edinburgh Park train and tram interchange.

Sam Greer, Stagecoach’s regional director for Scotland, expressed enthusiasm for the project, noting that it aims to enhance customer service through significant technological investments. “This is a hugely exciting project for Scotland,” said Greer. “We’re pleased to start live road testing, marking a significant step towards launching the UK’s first full-sized autonomous bus service.”

The buses are equipped with Fusion Processing’s CavStar sensor and control technology, enabling them to operate on designated routes without driver intervention. Each bus can carry up to 36 passengers over the 22km route, potentially serving over 10,000 passengers weekly.

Before this on-road testing, the buses underwent trials at depots, test tracks, and virtual simulations to fine-tune their autonomous systems. To support the project, Transport Scotland has opened a managed hard shoulder on the M8 eastbound for all buses with 24 or more seats, improving travel times and reliability as they approach Edinburgh.

Community involvement has been integral to the project, with 500 members of the public providing feedback on what would make them feel comfortable using the service. Based on this input, the project ensures that future autonomous bus services will still include a staff member on board.

Stagecoach is also planning to recruit over twenty specially trained autonomous bus professionals from its east Scotland operations. When the service launches, these experienced drivers will monitor the autonomous system, and a bus captain will interact with passengers, answering questions and explaining the service.

Chris Gall, Alexander Dennis’s group engineering director, highlighted the importance of this milestone, stating, “This project helps us to explore new technologies that will make buses safer and more efficient.” Jim Hutchinson, CEO of Fusion Processing, added, “We are excited to lead the world’s most complex autonomous vehicle programme. CavForth will benefit local communities and showcase the capabilities of our CavStar automated driving technology.”