From Monday, May 15, passengers in Scotland will be able to ride what are believed to be the world’s first automated buses.
It’s called Project CAVForth, and it’s run by the bus firm Stagecoach and sponsored by the UK government. It would be the world’s first full-size, self-driving public bus service, they claimed. The vehicles, often known as robot buses, will be driven by computers using sensors on the AB1 route in East Scotland. However, someone will be behind the wheel, ready to take over if something goes wrong.
The five Alexander Dennis Enviro200AV buses in the fleet will be able to transport up to 10,000 passengers per week. According to Stagecoach, it will cross the Forth Road Bridge into Edinburgh, making it the largest trial of its sort. The 14-mile journey from Ferrytoll Park and Ride in Fife to Edinburgh Park train and tram interchange will take between 25 and 30 minutes.
How do they operate?
Ten sensors are affixed to the bus’s exterior and detect when the bus has to turn or if something is blocking the road. A driver will be in the driver’s seat of all buses to react if anything goes wrong, but their hands will be off the steering wheel for the most part. There will also be a ‘bus captain’ in charge of ensuring that everyone has a ticket.
