A fully autonomous passenger shuttle service begins trials in Oxfordshire today, transporting passengers around the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus.
The new service is being trialled by Darwin Innovation Group, with support from European Space Agency and the UK Space Agency. The shuttle, created by Navya, uses lidar sensors, cameras and ultrasound sensors to navigate safely around any obstacles. It also features a satellite GNSS antenna for positioning.
While there is no steering wheel in the shuttle it does have safety controls, which will be managed by an on-board operator throughout the trial.
Darwin will maintain and monitor the service, tracking the shuttle’s location and gathering information about its operation as it travels. Telematics data will be transmitted from the shuttle in real time using Hispasat’s satellite communication channels and O2’s 4G and 5G networks.
According to the project, the use of satellite communications in this trial is significant as in previous trials autonomous vehicles have relied on terrestrial Wi-Fi to stay connected. By making use of satellites in addition to 4G and 5G, autonomous vehicles could operate even in rural or remote areas that may not yet have complete terrestrial coverage, the team said.
This shuttle service aims to demonstrate the potential of self-driving vehicles operating in a real-world setting, serving as a step towards the wider use of this technology in the UK. Similar Navya shuttles have been used in an urban setting in Switzerland and have safely transported tens of thousands of passengers.
The shuttle, which is battery powered, is designed to show that the future of public transportation can be green as well as autonomous. The potential to transport passengers while emitting zero carbon, if put in place more widely, could help the UK towards its emission targets.
Science minister, George Freeman, said: “Until now autonomous vehicles have relied on terrestrial Wi-Fi, which means they can struggle to operate in remote and rural areas. By unlocking the power of space and satellite technology, these shuttles can stay connected all the time.
“Our National Space Strategy promises to put space technology at the heart of our efforts to make the UK a science and innovation superpower. Autonomous vehicle technology has huge applications in key industries, and the UK is committed to lead in adoption as well as technological innovation.”
Furthermore, O2 will provide added investment to Darwin as well as supporting with patent development. Harwell Science Campus and STFC are hosting the service, and AWS is providing storage for the data produced by the shuttle.
Sergio Budkin, director of market development at Virgin Media O2, said: “This is another exciting milestone in making connected autonomous vehicles a reality, from concept to deployment on our roads. We’re proud to not only be utilising our award-winning network, but also creating the app for real-time tracking, providing another innovative 4G & 5G use case that’s making a difference to society and the way we live.”
The shuttle is insured by Aviva, who will use the trial and resulting data to better understand the evolving mobility market. With this information, Aviva will be able to create innovative insurance products to cater for this fast-changing market, including autonomous vehicles and associated technologies.
