Photo: sunderland city council
Autonomous shuttles set to launch in Sunderland
14 March 2024
by Christopher Carey
Sunderland in the north-east of England has announced that three autonomous shuttle buses, supported by 5G navigation systems, will soon roll out in selected areas of the city.
The Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle (SAMS) will start trials from next month, initially focusing on training on-board safety attendants before welcoming passengers in May.
“As we prepare to welcome the Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle to our city streets, we are embarking on an exciting journey towards a more connected and sustainable future,” said Patrick Melia, Chief Executive at Sunderland City Council.
“SAMS represents a significant leap forward in our efforts to embrace innovation and improve the quality of life for our residents. We look forward to seeing the positive impact that this self-driving shuttle will have on urban mobility across Sunderland,” he added.
The project is led by Sunderland City Council in partnership with Aurrigo, Stagecoach, ANGOKA Ltd, Newcastle University, Swansea University and Boldyn Networks.
Shuttles will run along an “intelligent transport corridor”, enabled by 5G small cells which are being installed along the vehicle route by Boldyn Networks.
Autonomous expansion
The initiative is one of six projects from the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) Deployment competition, and has been funded with £3 million (US$3.83 million) from the UK Government matched with another £3 million from industry partners.
Another project backed by CCAV – a driverless bus trial in Edinburgh – was expanded last month by UK bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis.
The current 14-mile trial route from Edinburgh Park station across the Forth Road Bridge, operated by Stagecoach, will be extended to include an additional five-mile section that will take in more complex autonomous driving scenarios in Dunfermline city centre.
The £10.4 million project – funded through the CCAV – is the UK’s first full-sized driverless bus trial, with vehicles capable of travelling at speeds of up to 50mph.
CCAV estimates the AV market in the UK could be worth £42 billion by 2035, and create up to 38,000 jobs.
Image: sunderland city council
