Government’s CAM Pathfinder – Enhancement programme funds autonomous bus pilot projects across the country
Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Solihull are among eight recipients of government funding to test self-driving buses. The money is being provided through the £150m connected and automated mobility (CAM) Pathfinder – Enhancements programme.
Image courtesy of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
That programme is in turn funded by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), a joint unit of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Department for Transport (DfT), and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK and Zenzic – a body created by government and industry to boost developments in CAM.
The aim of CAM Pathfinder, as detailed in the government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, is to address the complexities in commercialising CAM solutions, support and grow the CAM supply chain in the UK and ready the market for CAM services, enhancing investment and export opportunities. The selected projects will build on earlier CAM trials and focus on real-world deployment of services.
The selected projects are:
Connector 2, Cambridge
An extension of the existing autonomous shuttle trials to cover Cambridge West, Cambridge Biomedical Campus and other selected routes. It’s being delivered by the Greater Cambridge Partnership, comprising Fusion Processing, bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis and dRISK.
StreetCAV Plus, Milton Keynes
Aiming to demonstrate how driverless vehicles can be integrated into live urban traffic environments, this project is led by Smart City Consultancy Ltd, with key partners including ECS, Cablefree, Ohmio and Milton Keynes City Council.
SCALE 2, Solihull and West Midlands
An extension of the SCALE pilot programme launched in March, SCALE 2 will see a public shuttle service on 7km route between Birmingham International Rail Station, the NEC and Birmingham Business Park. The project is led by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council with a partners including IPG, NEC, Coventry University, Ohmio, Coventry City Council, Transport for West Midlands, WMG and dRISK.
AutonoBus
A project led by Fusion Processing to commercialise its Fusion AV platform through features including blue light detection and Auto Lane Keep Assist. Partners include Alexander Dennis and research partner Edinburgh Napier University.
RAMP Ready
Autonomous baggage dollies and passenger shuttles at airports, led by Aurrigo and UPS.
P-Cal
Autonomous container movement at the Port of Tyne.
DriveSAFESim
Virtual testing and safety assurance led by Wayve and WMG.
Sim4CAMSens 2
A project developing advanced sensor models and simulation tools for CAM systems.
Mark Cracknell, Programme Director at Zenzic, says: ‘We’re delighted to announce the SCALE 2 project as one of the eight exciting CAM Pathfinder – Enhancements projects taking place across the UK. The deployment of Connected and Automated Mobility solutions holds incredible promise – enhancing accessibility, reducing emissions, and fostering a transport network that is both reliable and inclusive. The SCALE 2 project will serve as a fantastic showcase of these benefits.
‘We are looking forward to working with the project consortia as they further develop their work, and showcase their technology, and help to cement CAM as an industry of the future.’
Mike Biddle, Executive Director for Net Zero at Innovate UK, adds: ‘This latest investment in the UK’s CAM sector by Government, announced in the Industrial Strategy, will enable the UK to continue at the forefront of this technology. It’s a chance to accelerate business growth, build supply chains of the future, develop new solutions and boost skills. This is a vote of confidence in the industry’s potential and Innovate UK looks forward to working with business and our partners as these technologies move ever closer to being commonplace in our everyday lives.’
Cllr Andy Mackiewicz, Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Planning at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, says: ‘Our CAM shuttle trial has already delivered hugely valuable real-world insight into how automated vehicles can safely operate in busy, public settings. It’s been a landmark initiative for Solihull Council and our consortium partners and an encouraging glimpse of what future transport could look like.
‘With the expansion into a more complex route, we’re entering an exciting next chapter. This phase will further deepen our understanding and move us one step closer to a future where safer, smarter and more sustainable transport is an everyday reality.’
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