Stagecoach to trial UK's first full-size driverless bus
Transport firm Stagecoach has announced plans to trial the UK's first full-size driverless bus.
The bus will be used without a driver in depots for manoeuvres such as parking, fuelling and washing.
The company said legal restrictions prevent the vehicle being used without a driver when passengers are on board but in future the technology is expected to be used more widely.
Stagecoach joined forces with bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and technology company Fusion Processing to create the autonomous vehicle.
It is being built at ADL’s site in Guildford, Surrey, and is expected to be in use later this year.
The transport operator said sensors in place to enable driverless journeys also help improve safety when a driver is behind the wheel, by warning of cyclists of pedestrians in blind spots or unexpectedly close to the bus.
While there are safety benefits to driverless vehicles, there are several concerns about their reliability - recently a woman died after being hit by a Volvo Uber in autonomous mode.
Elaine Herzberg, 49, was crossing the road when she was hit by a self-driving Volvo, which had an operator behind the wheel but was in autonomous mode.
Ms Herzberg was taken to hospital but later died of her injuries.
The car was being driven in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, as part of tests Uber are conducting throughout North America.
Despite safety concerns over driverless vehicles, the UK has vowed to push ahead with developing the technology.
The system uses several sensors – including radar, laser, camera and ultrasound – along with satellite navigation to detect and avoid objects and plan routes.
Sam Greer, Stagecoach UK bus engineering director, 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.”