Cambridge is to be the first city in the UK to trial driverless Aurrigo shuttles as a substitute to the current park and ride solution.
The vehicles are referred to as Auto-Shuttles and can carry up to 10 people from Madingley park and ride to West Cambridge and the Institute of Astronomy.
Trials will proceed with just 3 vehicles in operation; however, this is a huge step in introducing autonomous cars to populated roads.
It is not known what the cost to travel on the Shuttles will be as of yet, but the Greater Cambridge Partnership is excited for what lays ahead.
Each vehicle will travel with a safety operator on board but the vehicles will have no driver.
20 mph is the maximum speed the shuttles will be able to reach with a range of just 100 miles between charges.
This is quite the radical reduction in travel time compared two current coaches Witcher able to drive at 60 mph with at least 300 miles before filling up.
Claire Ruskin, director of Cambridge Network and a board member of GCP, said: “These shuttles can be used on demand all day and night, every day of the year – which is unaffordable with our existing public transport.
“They are flexible and make good use of resources without needing much infrastructure.”
Interestingly this trial is taking place as Sadiq Khan has unveiled plans to reduce combustion engine vehicles in London so draw your own conclusions there.
