A state-of-the-art self-driving shuttle is being trialled to transport passengers on the roads around Birmingham Airport.
It is the latest phase in a Solihull Council-led project, which aims to test how Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) might be integrated into the borough’s transport network in the future.
Designed and manufactured by Coventry’s Aurrigo, the futuristic looking zero-emission Auto-Shuttle can carry up to 10 passengers and uses a suite of sensors, including LiDAR, to understand its surroundings and move around safely.
“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,” said Nick Barton, Chief Executive, Birmingham Airport. “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.”
The trial route 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.
The CAV will be running at Birmingham Airport over the next six weeks. Solihull, with technical assurance and support from Amey Consulting, is already playing a leading role in the development and deployment of CAV technology.
The success of this trial will provide further knowledge and experience of self-driving vehicles in a real-world environment, providing the evidence to support the technology being rolled out in the future across Solihull.
“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,” said Miles Garner, Sales & Marketing Director at autonomous shuttle manufacturer Aurrigo. “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.”
