Driverless passenger vehicles begin Highland trials

A four-seater Auto-Pod at Inverness Airport

Two driverless passenger vehicles are being trialled in the Highlands.

A four-seater Aurrigo Auto-Pod has been offered to passengers on a 750m-long route between Inverness Airport and nearby Dalcross railway station.

A larger, 10-seater Aurrigo Auto-Shuttle is to be used to offer transport around the University of the Highlands and Islands' campus in Inverness.

An autonomous bus - nicknamed Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Driverless Machiney - was previously tested on a two-mile (3km) route at the campus.

The latest trials aim to highlight the potential benefits of low-cost, energy efficient driverless passenger transport.

Project partners include University of Glasgow, Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (Hitrans), Aurrigo International plc, Stagecoach North Scotland and Darwin Innovation Group Ltd.

It has been funded through Innovate UK and Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.

The Auto-Shuttle parked behind fencing at Inverness Campus

The Inverness Airport trial is running until the end of August.

Prof David Keene said: "Operating at Inverness Airport highlights the diverse environments where Aurrigo’s automated vehicles can truly make an impact."

Hitrans director Ranald Robertson added: "The trial will test two different types of driverless shuttle with both operations providing a real test of what this technology can offer both at Inverness Airport and Inverness Campus."