Fusion Processing has announced it has made significant progress toward operating automated vehicles with no user in charge (NUIC), achieving SAE Level 4 capability in the AutonoBus track testing project and live automated vehicle depot trials for the UK’s Transport for London.
NUIC, also called ‘Driver Out’ operation, will see vehicles in freight, logistics and passenger transportation applications operate with no driver on board. Instead, the vehicles will operate autonomously on agreed routes and areas, with the NUIC vehicles managed by a central Control Room where remote operators can take over manual drive of the vehicle if required. NUIC will open new employment opportunities for people, enabling commercial vehicles to be operated from office-type environments.
AutonoBus project
Fusion is advancing the AutonoBus project, which will see an Alexander Dennis Enviro100AEV operating at SAE Level 4 with no user in charge during controlled track testing. The vehicle will be continuously supervised by a trained safety driver located in a remote-control room, who will be ready to assume control at any moment if required.
The AutonoBus project will see Fusion add capabilities to the vehicle that will enable passengers to see, hear and communicate with the staff in the control room. Blue light (emergency) personnel outside the bus will also be able to interact with control room staff via monitors and microphones, and the vehicle will be able to see and hear blue light vehicles and react appropriately.
Automated vehicle depot trial
The company is also involved in the Transport for London (TfL) live bus depot trial, where Fusion’s CAVstar automated drive system (ADS) will enable automated maneuvers of Alexander Dennis electric buses in complex depot environments. This project is supporting the development of NUIC technology to real-world applications.
Funded by the UK government, the CAM Pathfinder FS competition is delivered by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), supported by Zenzic and Innovate UK, and supports 14 projects, including Fusion’s, working to advance connected and autonomous mobility (CAM) technologies. Part of a £150m (US$204m) program, it aims to accelerate commercial CAM opportunities and strengthen the UK supply chain.
Jim Hutchinson, CEO of Fusion Processing, said, “Fusion is at the forefront of making No User In Charge operations a reality. With projects such as the TfL depot trial and the AutonoBus track demonstrations, we are proving that NUIC technology can deliver meaningful safety, efficiency and operational benefits. These milestones move us closer to the day when autonomous buses can operate seamlessly and safely in real-world environments.”
In related news, Pony AI recently partnered with Mowasalat, Qatar’s largest transportation service provider, to deploy autonomous vehicles on the country’s roads