Driverless buses will begin operations between Edinburgh and Fife across the Forth Road Bridge this year.

Futurescot.com reports that five autonomous buses will be used on a 30-mile route.

The plans are included in Edinburgh Council’s mobility plan.

“Edinburgh needs a new plan for mobility and transport that addresses the challenge of reducing carbon emissions and how people, goods and services move into and around the city,” the plan reads. “It also needs to address air quality, congestion, accessibility and inclusion, cost of travel and convenience of payment, safety and how to create space for people in the city.”

The council says the Stagecoach-operated buses are part of the overarching digital strategy launched last year, which aims to ’embrace innovative technical solutions to meet rapidly evolving and changing business needs’.

The bus was demonstrated to Scottish Transport Secretary Michael Matheson (pictured) at the CAV Scotland event in Glasgow in 2019.

(Picture – CAV Scotland)