Up to 13 self-driving shuttle buses will be trialled for a year on Cambridge roads from early 2024. In December 2021, the university also held a one-month trial of autonomous buses for a month through Cambridge. This reports the University of Cambridge in a press release.
It will test an on-demand self-driving shuttle service around Cambridge University’s West Cambridge Innovation District, and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, to integrate with existing transport services already available in the city.
This project is one of seven self-driving bus projects in the United Kingdom. The government is funding £8.7 million, as is industry, making the total project £17.4 million.
Innovation that benefits society
Professor Ian Leslie, advisor to Cambridge University’s board, said the university’s mission is to encourage innovation that benefits society. “We are delighted to support the next phase of autonomous transport. This project is going to be valuable in transporting staff, students and visitors in a sustainable way.”
Elisa Meschini, chair of the board of Cambridge Partnerships, said Cambridge is known as a place where innovation gets a lot of space and attention. “Here we discover the technology of the future and realize these technological advances to improve the world.”
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