The 12m single-decker is being prepared at ADL’s Guildford site and is due to be introduced by the end of the year
Stagecoach has partnered with Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and Fusion Processing to trial an autonomous single-decker bus.
Once complete, the 12m ADL Enviro200 MMC will be completely autonomous and able to operate without a driver in an off-road environment. The technology is also expected to deliver 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 2018.
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.
Stagecoach said the use of self-driving vehicles within depots more widely ‘could help improve safety, efficiency and space utilisation within the depot.’
While the vehicle or others like it are not be expected to be used in autonomous mode in passenger service for some time, 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 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-decker 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 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.
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.”
