Earlier trials of the CAV at London’s Olympic Park
Aecom is leading a trial to test the use of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) as well as the public’s attitude towards them at the Mall, in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol.
The trial, which ends this week, is providing an autonomous shuttle service navigating crowded outside areas with pedestrians, push-chairs, mobility scooters, bikes and animals.
UK public CAV trials to date have had a dedicated engineer inside the vehicle overseeing a safe journey. The latest trial will be the first in the UK without this level of supervision, inviting members of the public to turn up and travel alone in the autonomous pod.
Aecom leads the Capri consortium which was awarded the funding as part of a CCAV and Innovate UK competition to invest £35m in an industry-led research and development projects on CAVs. The consortium said the research project would broaden the UK’s knowledge of the impact of connected and autonomous vehicles and help inform the future direction of their development and implementation.
George Lunt, technical director at AECOM, said: “With a number of environmental, efficiency and mobility benefits associated with connected and autonomous vehicles, there is great potential for the UK to enter a diverse range of international markets. However, for this idea to fully develop, it is vital the public are on board and have the chance to experience a mobility service that can potentially transform the way they travel.
“Together with our partners, we must explore and bring together the technical, social and operational aspects to ensure the research and development gathered will not only allow us to be at the forefront of CAV development but also create a legacy for future generations.”
