From Stagecoach Press Release
Work is underway to trial the UK’s first full-sized driverless bus.
Transport operator Stagecoach confirmed today (23 July 2018) that it has partnered with bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and technology company Fusion Processing to produce a single deck autonomous bus.
Once complete, the 12m ADL Enviro200 vehicle will be completely autonomous and able to operate without a driver in an off-road environment. The technology also delivers road safety benefits when driven in manual mode.
Work on the vehicle is being carried out at ADL’s site in Guildford and the bus is expected to be ready for use by the end of this year.
In the short term, the bus will be used in autonomous mode only within the depot environment, to carry out movements such as parking and moving into the fuelling station and bus wash. Using self-driving vehicles within depots more widely could help improve safety, efficiency and space utilisation within the depot.
Legal restrictions mean the vehicle will not be used in autonomous mode in passenger service for some time. However the system can be used straight away to help improve the safety of road users. For example, when the bus is driven in manual mode, the sensor system on the bus, whilst not engaged to drive the vehicle, can still be used to provide assistance to the driver by warning of cyclists or pedestrians that may be in the blind spot or arrive unexpectedly close to the vehicle.
Over time, autonomous bus technology is expected to be used more widely, including on services carrying passengers, dependent on legal developments.
Stagecoach UK Bus Engineering Director Sam Greer said: “Stagecoach has long been at the heart of innovation within the bus industry and this is an exciting trial that will deliver the UK’s first fully autonomous single deck bus.”
“We look forward to working with our partners on this project which we believe could, in time, help improve safety and efficiency within our depots, and over the longer term, help transform bus travel in the future.”
The Stagecoach bus will be fitted with the CAVstar® system provided by Fusion Processing Ltd.
CAVstar® was utilised successfully in the UK’s largest public trial of autonomous vehicles to date, in Greenwich earlier this year, and a number of other projects.
The system uses multiple sensor types, including radar, laser, camera and ultrasound, along with satellite navigation to detect and avoid objects, in all weathers, day and night, and plan an optimum path for the vehicle.
Jim Hutchinson, CEO of Fusion Processing Ltd said: “We’re delighted Stagecoach and Alexander Dennis have selected our CAVstar® product, the sensor and control system that enables autonomous vehicles. CAVstar® will offer increased safety and efficiency, and will be demonstrated in the Stagecoach trials later this year. “
Ken Scott, Group Engineering Director at ADL, commented, “ADL is renowned for harnessing the latest technology solutions to enhance our products and services to benefit our customers, their passengers and the wider environment. We’re excited to be working with Stagecoach and Fusion Processing on this innovative project. In the first instance it will deliver real and demonstrable improvement to efficiency and safety in depots, while taking another significant step on our journey to bringing fully autonomous vehicles to market.”
This looks very interesting indeed! and it’s a good idea to test the driverless bus within the depot environment; the buses will be able to drive themselves to the fuel area and the bus wash.
It’s amazing how fast technology is advancing. The Docklands Light Railways are driverless with Automatic Train Operation and the Passenger Assistant is needed for the opening and closing of the doors at stations. The Central, Jubilee, Northern and Victoria London Underground lines use the Automatic Train Operation with the driver in the cab. Soon the Sub Surface Lines which are the District, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines will be upgraded to Automatic Train Operation.
With automation and artificial intelligence on the rise, will it mean that decades down the line we’ll see computers overtaking humans? Technology is progressing so fast!
Here’s the London Bus News update from LOTS:
1) The BCI tri-axle hybrid bus TA 1 (LX18 DGF) was delivered to Go-Ahead Camberwell (Q) Garage from Ensign Bus’ stewardship on Tuesday 17th July. Although at first due to be used on route X68, it is now due for route 12 once type training has been completed. The two Volvo B5LHCs (VHP 1 and 2) noted in TLB647, have been parked at Peckham (PM) while the charging infrastructure is installed for use on route 37.
2) The Yutong electric demonstrator YG18 CVS was used in service for part of three days in the past week on CT Plus’ route W13.
3) Although 19 of Stagecoach London’s new E400 ‘smart hybrids’ are now licensed and several were used at Silverstone two weeks ago, none has yet been used on service in London.
4) There are plenty of frequency reductions these days, almost every weekend as detailed in TLBs. A more unusual one from next weekend 28 July is due on Abellio route 211 whereby four LTs become surplus and are due to move to route 415 at WL. Meanwhile Metroline route 32 continues to see three or four LTs on most days among the usual TAs, TEs and TEHs..
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Image attribution
By Motacilla - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61562516
