Autonomous Bus wins top 'Cars of the Future' award as Stagecoach and partners scoop honour at inaugural Self Driving Industry awards

In a collaborative achievement, public transport operator Stagecoach, bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis, and autonomous system provider Fusion Processing have clinched the prestigious ‘Vehicle of the Year’ award at the inaugural Self-Driving Industry Awards. The recognition highlights the importance of public transport when considering what the future of mobility could look like and honours the effort of these industry leaders in launching the UK’s first full-size autonomous bus service. 

The award-winning bus is a standard Alexander Dennis single-deck vehicle retrofitted with cutting-edge technology and an eye-catching livery. With the fleet of 5 autonomous buses having been in service since May 2023 in East Scotland, they have carried thousands of passengers and covered over 70,000 miles in autonomous mode.  

Peter Stephens, Public Affairs Director for Stagecoach said: “We are proud to have provided the first autonomous bus fleet to the UK and the first service to our local communities in East Scotland.  

“This Self-driving Industry awards stands as a testament to the belief of our partners, our staff, and our customers, who have all put their trust in our vision. The service is live, and we invite anyone to come experience AB1, autonomous bus no.1, for themselves!” 

Jamie Wilson, Head of Concepts and Advanced Engineering at Alexander Dennis, said: ”We are honoured to receive the Vehicle of the Year award at the inaugural Self-Driving Industry Awards for our first fleet of Enviro200AV. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team and partners. Together, we are driving the future of autonomous transportation, setting new benchmarks for passenger experience, safety, efficiency, and sustainability.” 

The Self-Driving Industry Awards are presented by Cars of the Future (www.carsofthefuture.co.uk). They recognise outstanding contributions to developing and implementing self-driving technology across various sectors. The partners’ success shows their leadership in driving innovation and fostering a future where autonomous transportation is a reality. 

As the industry continues to evolve, Stagecoach, Alexander Dennis and Fusion remain at the forefront of shaping the landscape of autonomous public transport.  

CAVForth, the project behind the Stagecoach Autonomous Bus service, is a collaborative project part funded by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Led by Fusion Processing Ltd, it involves Stagecoach, Alexander Dennis, Transport Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, Bristol Robotics Lab, and the University of the West of England.  

The 14-mile CAVForth service from Fife into Edinburgh across the Forth Road Bridge was launched to the public Monday 15th May 2023. It will continue to be developed with the follow-up CAVForth2 project, which will extend the route into Dunfermline city centre and add an electric Alexander Dennis Enviro100AEV small bus to the fleet.