Woman rides on futuristic self-driving bus and pinpoints key problems

Daily Mirror

01-07-2025

The Connector autonomous bus trial serves several areas, with passengers able to travel for free. Here's how it has been going so far – plus some teething issues people have experienced
A decade ago, the idea of sharing the road with self-driving vehicles seemed like a scene from a sci-fi movie about robots ruling the world. But for the residents of Cambridge, this futuristic concept has become their reality, as they can now hop on the autonomous Connector bus for a free ride.
Cambridgeshire Live's Cait Findlay took a spin on the 15-seat Connector, which has been the talk of social media ever since it was announced as part of an experimental project that opened to the public last week.
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The journey didn't get off to a promising start thanks to flashing warning light, indicating that the bus couldn't ferry passengers until the issue was resolved - prompting a 20-minute passenger-less trial loop.
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Finally able to board the bus upon its return, Cait noted that, "the bus looks like any other small minibus, with a driver's seat at the front, space for wheelchair users, and seats arranged either side of a central aisle". The vehicle currently operates with a 'safety driver' on board who can intervene if necessary, while also performing the usual checks they would do if they were operating a standard bus.
Signs instructing passengers to remain seated and fasten their seatbelts were a bit unusual, considering the maximum speed limit on the route is 40mph – which doesn't usually necessitate a seatbelt on most buses – but it did provide an added sense of security, added Cait.
As they set off, bus driver Nick was at the helm. After a brief period, he switched the bus into 'auto' mode, lifting his hands entirely off the wheel to demonstrate that he was no longer in control.
Accustomed to driving a 17-year-old Peugeot where the most advanced feature is electric windows, the autonomous mode was worlds away from Cait's usual driving experience.
She commented: "It was surreal to see the wheel moving by itself, with Nick's hands flat on his lap and not touching it at all. There were moments when it felt like being driven by someone who had only recently passed their test and needed 'P' plates for other drivers to give them some grace."
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This is understandable given that the bus has undergone extensive testing prior to accepting passengers, but it is still in a trial phase before services may be expanded.
While the service could become fully autonomous without a 'pilot' driver by 2027, Cait conceded that it's evident it still requires a bit of extra expertise on board.
The differences between a human driving and a machine behind the helm were clear.
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When a pedestrian began moving towards the edge of the pavement, the bus moved slightly away from the roadside and closer to the centre line.
In contrast, an experienced driver would have noticed the movement, but would know that it didn't merit any change in road positioning.
The reporter summarised: "While the drive was mostly very smooth, the braking was occasionally quite harsh and you could feel the vehicle adjusting when its sensors detected something unexpected.
"It was also funny to see the steering wheel twitching slightly as it made micro-adjustments to its position – again, it reminded me of a new driver learning to maintain a steady position."
There were a few instances when the driver had to intervene, much like an experienced passenger might give advice to a new driver. At one point, the passengers had to pause for a few minutes when the autonomous function didn't seem to want to kick into gear.
Overall, Cait was fairly impressed, but offered a piece of advice, saying: "There still seem to be some teething problems, which may mean the service is cancelled while these are sorted out – so if you're hoping to use it to get to work, you may want to have a back-up option just in case."