UK's First Driverless Bus Service to End Due to Low Passenger Numbers

The CAVForth autonomous bus trial between Fife and Edinburgh will conclude in February 2025 after failing to attract sufficient riders.

The CAVForth project, launched in May 2023, was the UK's first driverless bus service and operated on a 14-mile route between Fife and Edinburgh.
Despite being capable of carrying 10,000 passengers weekly, the service consistently fell short of passenger adoption targets, leading to its discontinuation.
The £6 million project was a collaboration between Stagecoach, Fusion Processing, Alexander Dennis, and academic institutions, with partial funding from the UK government.
While the service required two onboard staff for safety and operations, it provided valuable insights into the technological and regulatory challenges of autonomous transport.
Project partners remain committed to exploring other applications for self-driving technology in the UK, emphasizing its potential role in future transportation systems.