Latest news with #SCALE
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Yahoo
Are there humans and how fast can they go? West Midlands autonomous shuttle questions answered
A new autonomous shuttle service is operating in the West Midlands - and the news has been met with curiosity and some questions from BirminghamLive readers. The cube-like buses will run a 7km route to major venues like the NEC, the bp pulse LIVE Arena and Birmingham International Rail station, which links to Birmingham Airport. Solihull Council said the shuttle route would be fully operational in the summer but for now it is being rolled out in phases - meaning travellers can only catch a ride for a portion of the route. READ MORE: Route map reveals every stop new West Midlands autonomous shuttles will make In response to the news, one reader said he hoped the shuttles would replace "rip off taxis." Another added that due to it being a trial it was just an "experiment." A big question was if the shuttles would actually continue to run in the West Midlands past the end of the trial. We've put together an explainer below answering questions readers have had, and to help you plan ahead if you do plan to catch a ride in one of the cube-like self-driving shuttles. The shuttle trial is called The Solihull and Coventry Automated Links Evolution (SCALE) project. It is being delivered by a consortium led by Solihull Council, including WMG at the University of Warwick and Coventry University, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), the NEC, Coventry City Council and automated vehicle simulation specialists IPG and dRISK. The blue, green and red shuttles are fully-accessible and the creation of New Zealand-based autonomous vehicle manufacturer Ohmio, represented in the UK by Ohmio UK. Each vehicle can carry up to 14 passengers and has cameras and sensors to understand their surroundings. The shuttle is also fully accessible to wheelchair users. The shuttles are fully electric and have a range of 125 miles. No, the shuttles will be operating between 10am and 3pm on the following dates: Monday 31 March Wednesday 2 April Friday 4 April Monday 7 April Wednesday 9 April Thursday 10 April Monday 14 April Wednesday 16 April Wednesday 23 April Thursday 24 April Friday 25 April Monday 28 April Wednesday 30 April Thursday 1 May Solihull Council said that while the shuttles are autonomous, there is a human on board to oversee the safety of the shuttles. The council explained: "Although the safety operator has the ability to take control of the shuttle in an emergency, they will not be operating the shuttle on the majority of the route. "The route has been pre-mapped so the vehicles are aware of their environment – this means they have the ability to stop themselves in an emergency or if there is an unexpected hazard in the road. "The goal for this technology is to remove the need for a safety operator within the vehicle in the future, instead allowing them to be remotely monitored from a control room." Futuristic shuttles are already ferrying passengers around the NEC area in Solihull. The live route currently encompasses the bp pulse LIVE Arena to the VIP and blue badge parking area. The route will be extended in further sections to link passengers from Birmingham International railway station to the NEC and Birmingham Business Park by the summer. You can read more on the phased-roll out of the route here. As it stands, the SCALE trial is temporary. However council bosses have not ruled out them returning to Solihull once the trial finishes. A Solihull Council spokesperson explained: "The success of these trials will provide knowledge and experience of self-driving vehicles in a real-world environment, meaning that they could be rolled-out elsewhere in Solihull or as part of a permanent route in the future."
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Route map reveals every stop new West Midlands autonomous shuttles will make
The official route of a new autonomous shuttle service in the West Midlands has been confirmed - and it includes key destinations in the region. The cube-like buses will run a 7km route to major venues like the NEC, the bp pulse LIVE Arena and Birmingham International Rail station, which links to Birmingham Airport - but passengers will have to wait to experience the full route. While the full map has been revealed, passengers can only ride on the first phase of the route as it is being rolled out in phases. READ MORE: Futuristic autonomous shuttles operating for West Midlands passengers - all you need to know Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp Solihull Council said the shuttle route would be fully operational in the summer - but no exact date has yet been given. The trial is called The Solihull and Coventry Automated Links Evolution (SCALE) project and is being delivered by a consortium led by Solihull Council, including WMG at the University of Warwick and Coventry University, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), the NEC, Coventry City Council and automated vehicle simulation specialists IPG and dRISK. Currently, the futuristic shuttles are ferrying passengers around the first phase of the route, which encompasses the bp pulse LIVE Arena to the VIP and blue badge parking area. The route will be extended in further sections to link passengers from Birmingham International railway station to the NEC and Birmingham Business Park by the summer. Shuttles will be operating between 10am and 3pm on the following dates: Wednesday 26 March Monday 31March Wednesday 2 April Friday 4 April Monday 7 April Wednesday 9 April Thursday 10 April Monday 14 April Wednesday 16 April Wednesday 23 April Thursday 24 April Friday 25 April Monday 28 April Wednesday 30 April Thursday 1 May The map below shows what the 7km route will look like once fully operational. The blue, green and red shuttles are fully-accessible and the creation of New Zealand-based autonomous vehicle manufacturer Ohmio, represented in the UK by Ohmio UK. Each vehicle can carry up to 14 passengers and has cameras and sensors to understand their surroundings, allowing them to interact with live traffic and move around safely. Each journey will also be tracked in real time from TfWM's control centre on Summer Lane. Coun Andy Mackiewicz, cabinet member for climate change and planning, said: "Connected Automated Mobility (CAM) technology has the potential to revolutionise the way we get around. "We are excited to be leading the way, not just in Solihull, but regionally and across the country, in providing learning on CAM deployments in different settings and scenarios. 'Taking place across one of the best-connected destinations in the UK and Europe, this new Solihull-based route will join up three key assets within the UK Central Hub area, operating in a busy but controlled environment and gaining further real-world operating experience. 'As part of our continuous learning, colleagues at TfWM will be conducting a series of passenger surveys to better understand attitudes around this technology and potential barriers. "I'd encourage anyone who is interested in helping to shape the future of automated transport to check the next development dates and take a ride for themselves."
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Futuristic autonomous shuttles operating for West Midlands passengers - all you need to know
Solihull's new self-driving shuttles are now in operation - but passengers face a wait for the full route to go live as it is being rolled out in phases. The cube-like driverless buses will eventually operate a 7km route along key destinations in the borough and stops will include the bp pulse LIVE Arena, Birmingham International rail station and Birmingham Business Park. The route is going live in phases, Solihull Council has confirmed, which means that full route will only be available from the summer. READ MORE: Major Solihull update on plans to transform Mell Square shopping centre Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp However, the NEC portion of the shuttle route is now live and is shuttling visitors around for "busy events", council bosses confirmed. The fleet of autonomous buses will eventually operate a seven kilometre-route, a little over four miles, in Solihull. Solihull Council said the Solihull and Coventry Automated Links Evolution (SCALE) project had been established to better understand how self-driving vehicles might feature within future transport systems. The first phase of the route, linking bp pulse LIVE Arena to the VIP & blue badge parking area, was launched on March 19 during an international trade delegation visit. Currently, the trial service is now open for passengers visiting upcoming major events at the NEC including the Commercial Vehicle Show. The first phase of the shuttle route at the NEC is live until April 7, but will be extended in further sections to link passengers from Birmingham International rail station to the NEC and Birmingham Business Park by the summer. The accessible fully electric shuttles being used have been built by New Zealand based autonomous vehicle manufacturer Ohmio, represented in the UK by Ohmio UK, and can carry up to 14 passengers. Shuttles have cameras and sensors to understand their surroundings, allowing them to interact with live traffic and move around safely. Each journey will also be tracked in real time from TfWM's control centre on Summer Lane. The project is being delivered by a consortium led by Solihull Council, including both WMG at the University of Warwick and Coventry University, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), the NEC, Coventry City Council and automated vehicle simulation specialists IPG and dRISK. Cllr Andy Mackiewicz, cabinet member for climate change and planning, said: "Connected Automated Mobility (CAM) technology has the potential to revolutionise the way we get around. "We are excited to be leading the way, not just in Solihull, but regionally and across the country, in providing learning on CAM deployments in different settings and scenarios.' 'Taking place across one of the best-connected destinations in the UK and Europe, this new Solihull-based route will join up three key assets within the UK Central Hub area, operating in a busy but controlled environment and gaining further real-world operating experience. 'As part of our continuous learning, colleagues at TfWM will be conducting a series of passenger surveys to better understand attitudes around this technology and potential barriers. "I'd encourage anyone who is interested in helping to shape the future of automated transport to check the next development dates and take a ride for themselves."
