Alexander Dennis, a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc has announced the completion of the first Enviro100AEV autonomous electric bus for the Connector project in Cambridge. This milestone precedes the bus's track testing phase. Innovate UK backs the Connector project, which is led by the Greater Cambridge Partnership. The consortium includes Alexander Dennis, Fusion Processing, IPG Automotive, dRISK, and Gamma Energy, with partial funding and support from the UK Government’s Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles.
The unveiling of the first Enviro100AEV took place at Alexander Dennis's technology hub in Farnborough, attended by consortium partners. The buses for the Connector project will be owned by Mistral Group and leased to the Greater Cambridge Partnership, thanks to an innovative funding model.

The bus will now undergo track-based testing to calibrate Fusion Processing’s CAVStar® automated drive system before its delivery to Cambridge. This will be followed by testing and training for safety drivers who will supervise onboard when public services commence later this year at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, a site known for its world-class biomedical research, patient care, and education.
Jamie Wilson, Head of Concepts & Advanced Engineering for Alexander Dennis, remarked, “The completion of the first Enviro100AEV is a significant milestone for the Connector project as we now enter a phase of vehicle testing to ready the technology for public services. This builds on the substantial work we have done with Fusion Processing and other partners in similar projects to further refine this technology as we continue to explore use cases where autonomous buses can improve operational efficiency and add flexibility to transport networks.”
Cllr Elisa Meschini, Chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s Executive Board, added, “Connector will see autonomous vehicles being trialled on our city’s roads to investigate their potential to transform the way people travel. This is a significant opportunity for Cambridge to lead the way in innovation, paving the way for more sustainable and efficient ways to get to where people need to go. Seeing the first vehicle arrive and be ready for testing is a testament to the collaborative efforts of everyone involved with the consortium, and I look forward to seeing how this technology can potentially shape the future of public transport.”
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