Britain’s First Self-Driving Shuttle Bus Is In The Streets

Last Thursday, Britain‘s first autonomous shuttle was launched in Cambridge, where it drove around the university campus as part of its first testing, METRO reports.

Although you’d expect that its autonomous function would be in the spotlight, there’s another feature that undoubtedly steals the show: its hideous appearance.

Doesn’t it remind you of one of those insects with exoskeletons that are so terrifying to look at? Or maybe of a destructive and angry Transformer that could easily be named “Shuttle-Tron”? And the British flag paint job doesn’t really help.

The shuttle’s monstrous look didn’t go unnoticed on Twitter.

Aurrigo will claim another UK milestone in autonomous technology today when its Auto-Shuttles begin trials in Cambridge. @aurrigotech specialise in ‘first and last mile’ transport solutions. They will test on main roads with vehicles & pedestrians.https://t.co/kTCuxRZbry #ukmfg

— Joe Reynolds (@swarfguru) May 27, 2021

It’s the first time self-driving buses will drive alongside other traffic in the UK. 🚌https://t.co/NcRJZb49iz

— Metro (@MetroUK) May 28, 2021

Autonomous transport company Aurrigo has begun trials of the Auto-Shuttle – a self-driving bus – today in Cambridge. The shuttle will carry up to 10 passengers around a two-mile route https://t.co/Hjy2JNJg3u pic.twitter.com/jI8t9G0P2D

— Autocar (@autocar) May 27, 2021

Wait – why does it look like it just crashed head first into a wall?

— Chaminda Jayanetti (@cjayanetti) May 27, 2021

People are talking about the paint work, but what I think is nice is that they’ve made it extra safe by making every edge on the front of it sharp. It’s basically a driverless open baked bean tin on wheels!

— LukE (@lukecole78) May 28, 2021

Appearance aside, here are some details about the bus. The all-electric Auto-Shuttles, developed by the engineering firm Aurrigo, can travel at speeds of up to 32 kilometers (20 miles) per hour and have a range of 160 kilometers (200 miles). They can carry 10 passengers on a single journey.

The Auto-Shuttles can drive themselves, but safety operators will be behind the wheel to take control at any point if needed. The self-driving buses will drive alongside regular traffic, and their trials will start in June.

Ultimately, this is a promising initiative for the UK to incorporate autonomous tech within its public transportation system, and we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But one question remains: how are people going to trust an autonomous vehicle when it looks so aggressive and unwelcoming?

Britain’s first self-driving shuttle bus is in the streets