Project CAVForth has taken the headline Vehicle of the Year prize at the inaugural Self-driving Industry Awards.
The trophy, which was handed out at a ceremony held at the Turner Contemporary in Margate on 17 November, recognised the project involving a fleet of five single-decker, low-emission self-driving Stagecoach buses taking fares in Scotland daily since May.
This has given tens of thousands of passengers their first taste of self-driving public transport.
Presented by Carsofthefuture.co.uk, the Self-driving Industry Awards celebrate excellence in connected and automated mobility (CAM), in the UK and internationally.
Peer recognition played a vital role, with all entrants gaining the right to nominate individuals and vehicles for the top honours.
At the event, Councillor Rob Yates, Town Mayor of Margate, presented the Self-driving Industry Vehicle of the Year Award to Peter Stephens, Public Affairs Director at Stagecoach, and Matt Lawrence, Fleet Business Development Director at Alexander Dennis.
Neil Kennett, Editor at Carsofthefuture.co.uk, said: “Self-driving is about to completely revolutionise how people and goods move. The tech is already about as safe as the average human driver, and it’s only going to get better.
“From a UK perspective, following the King’s Speech, we’ve got an incredible opportunity to define a successful, safety-first approach to rollout.
“Apart from the eye-catching livery, the CAVForth buses appear quite ordinary. In fact, they are extraordinary, operating with a safety driver at SAE Level 4 on journeys across the iconic Forth Road Bridge.
“With partners including Alexander Dennis, Fusion Processing and Stagecoach, we were delighted to present Project CAVForth with the first ever Self-driving Industry Vehicle of the Year Award.”
