The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership is working with the University of Glasgow and various commercial partners to test the use of automated vehicles to support journeys between transit hubs
The local transport authority in the Scottish Highlands is supporting trials of self-driving vehicles in Inverness.
Two driverless vehicles created by Coventry-based autonomous transport designer Aurrigo, including a four-seat shuttle pod taking passengers between Inverness Airport and Dalcross railway station. The pod will cover 750m of the 1.2km journey which, to date, passengers had to make on foot or via a paid-for shuttle bus.
Meanwhile, a larger, 10-seater pod will offer a ride around the University of Highlands and Islands’ Inverness campus.
This pilot scheme comes after an autonomous bus called Bitsy Teenie Weenie Driverless Machiney was trialled on a 3km route at the campus.
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The new tests hope to gauge public perceptions of autonomous vehicles and the feasibility of introducing the service to the region.
Project partners include the University of Glasgow, Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership, Darwin Innovation Group Ltd, and Stagecoach North Scotland.
Stagecoach also operates the UK’s first driverless bus service, which takes passengers between Fife and Edinburgh Park.
UK government bodies Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles have funded the Inverness trials.
David Keene, chief executive of Aurrigo, said: “Operating at Inverness Airport highlights the diverse environments where Aurrigo’s automated vehicles can truly make an impact. The aviation industry as a whole offers countless opportunities for this innovative technology to enhance operations, improve safety, and transform the passenger experience.”
This story originally appeared on PublicTechnology sister publication Holyrood
