Edinburgh
Scotland is celebrating its debut: In the future, a self-driving public bus will be driving near the capital, Edinburgh. The route also passes a popular tourist attraction.
For the first time in Great Britain, a self-driving bus is being used in regular service. The company Stagecoach now wants to put line AB1 near Edinburgh into operation. The route covers 14 miles and also crosses a well-known bridge over the Firth of Forth.
“AB1 is believed to be the first registered bus route in the world to deploy full-size autonomous buses,” Stagecoach said. Up to 10,000 passengers per week are expected. Initially, a test operation with a total of five buses is planned until 2025. There are two employees on board: one at the wheel to be able to intervene at any time, and another at the back to check tickets and answer questions.
At the forefront of development
According to Stagecoach, the project was prepared for ten years. The system used has completed a total of 1.8 million kilometers in tests.
“We want Scotland to remain at the forefront of connected and autonomous vehicle development and the start of this live test will help the country make its mark on the world stage,” said Scottish Transport Minister Kevin Stewart. The technology should “support our vision of a sustainable, integrative, safe and accessible transport system”.
