The first step towards self-driving buses is the introduction of automated functions such as driver assistance systems, safety features, and battery charging. Volvo is already running successful full-scale field trials with autonomous driving in controlled environments. But even if the technology for self-driving buses is already here, there are many other aspects to consider as artificial intelligence takes over vehicle control and decisionmaking. When the world is ready, Volvo will be ready too.
Unique study shows passengers are positive about self-driving buses. Volvo Buses, together with Västtrafik and Chalmers University of Technology [Sweden], has investigated how passengers feel about travelling on a self-driving bus and how they believe autonomous solutions will affect future commuting. The study is the first to be conducted with a 12-metre bus for city traffic.
Recent Scotland trial of driverless buses on a revenue bus route on public roads. Brisbane’s busways might be well suited to driverless technology in the future as they are a separated corridor from regular traffic or pedestrians.
A trial was run with UK bus operator Stagecoach in Edinburgh on a 22.5 km route. Currently, a hurdle for such buses is legal, as Scottish law requires a driver to be present. This would need to change.
Ferrytoll to Edinburgh Park with AB1
As of Friday 14th February 2025, our autonomous bus trial, and the AB1 service has come to an end.
AB1 ran from May 2023 and was the first registered autonomous bus service in the UK.
It ran using a fleet of five autonomous buses operating over the Forth Road Bridge connecting Fife with the west of Edinburgh.
The project, named CAVForth was a joint venture between Fusion Processing Ltd, Stagecoach, Alexander Dennis, Transport Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University and Bristol Robotics Lab and was part funded by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, with the project’s ambitious aim to demonstrate autonomous technology in a real-world environment.
Bringing this to the SEQ context, a good place for a trial of standard sized buses could be the Moreton bay islands. Another possibility are routes that are mostly contained within busways.
CAVForth is the world’s most ambitious automated vehicle pilot, featuring full sized automated buses operating at AV Level 4 autonomy. Fusion led a consortium of partners to build, test and deliver a scheduled service over a 30 mile route with five autonomous buses.Working closely with; Stagecoach Group, Alexander Dennis, Transport Scotland, Napier University and the Bristol Robotics Lab.
Alexander Dennis built five bespoke Enviro200 43-seater buses, equipped with the latest Fusion Processing CAVstar automated drive system which provided true AV Level 4 autonomy to the vehicles.
