A six-week trial of a self-driving shuttle has begun on roads around Birmingham Airport as part of the latest phase of Solihull Council-led project to gauge how connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) could be integrated into the regions transport network.
Designed and manufactured by Coventry’s Aurrigo, the Auto-Shuttle can carry up to ten passengers and uses a suite of sensors, including lidar, to understand its surroundings and move around safely.
Miles Garner, sales & marketing director at autonomous shuttle manufacturer Aurrigo, said: “We are delighted to be working with Solihull Council again to deliver another milestone, with Birmingham Airport becoming the first ever Airport to test our autonomous shuttles on their roads.
“Aviation is a major opportunity for Aurrigo, with a genuine desire to find new technologies that can improve the passenger experience. This could be through our driverless shuttles, our Auto-Sim modelling software or it could be through our Auto-Dolly cargo/luggage dolly that can replace the traditional tugs that are commonplace in airports all over the world.
“We’ve recently completed projects at Changi Airport in Singapore and Gerald R. Ford International in North America, putting the UK on the global map for autonomous technology deployment.”
The shuttle will be used to transport passengers around a complex route at Birmingham Airport, while interacting with other road users. It will provide airport staff with a new temporary service linking the departures entrance and Diamond House to Car Park 5.
For the purposes of testing, the shuttle will be limited to a top speed of 20mph. In line with current legislation a safety operator will be on-board at all times, who will have the ability to take control of the shuttle at any point if required.
As well as airport staff the passenger trials will also be open to members of the public who want to experience one of the first fully self-driving shuttles in the UK.
Nick Barton, chief executive, Birmingham Airport, added: “Autonomous technology promises enormous benefits to airports and the service companies that support them, with the potential to transform the way we work and improve efficiency and safety, for passengers, staff and other airport users.
“We are really excited to be working with Solihull Council on this trial, which will provide us with invaluable insight into how we can start to safely incorporate CAVs into our vehicle fleet. This trial of fully electric vehicles, and testing their capabilities on site, is making sure we are working towards our net zero carbon target by 2033.”
