The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) has taken delivery of the first autonomous vehicle for its Connector project.
The purpose built Enviro100AEV autonomous electric bus from UK manufacturer Alexander Dennis, a subsidiary of NFI Group, will now undergo track testing to ensure its safety and performance, as Connector prepares to launch later this year.
Backed by Innovate UK, the Connector project consortium is led by the Greater Cambridge Partnership and in addition to Alexander Dennis includes Fusion Processing, IPG Automotive, dRISK and Gamma Energy.
It is part funded and supported by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.
Cllr Elisa Meschini, chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s executive board, said: “Connector will see autonomous vehicles being trialled on our city’s roads to investigate their potential to transform the way people travel. This is a significant opportunity for Cambridge to lead the way in innovation, paving the way for more sustainable and efficient ways to get to where people need to go.
“Seeing the first vehicle arrive and be ready for testing is a testament to the collaborative efforts of everyone involved with the consortium and I look forward to seeing how this technology can potentially shape the future of public transport.”
Funding model
Buses for the Connector project will be owned by Mistral Group and leased to the Greater Cambridge Partnership.
The track based testing will be followed by testing and training for the safety drivers who will provide onboard supervision when public services commence later this year at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) is the local delivery body for a city deal with central government, bringing powers and investment worth up to £1 billion over 15 years for improvements in infrastructure.
The partners in GCP are Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, the University of Cambridge and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Business Board.
