Inverness, Scotland – August 19, 2024: An exciting launch kicked off today at Inverness Airport, where passengers will get the opportunity to ride in Aurrigo’s autonomous Auto-Pod from the new rail station to the airport terminal.  The pilot will run through August 30^th and will see two types of automated people movers trialed, the smaller Auto-Pod and larger Auto-Shuttle at the Inverness Airport and the University of the Highlands and Islands Inverness Campus.

The Highlands and Islands region is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage, but its rugged terrain and dispersed population present significant transportation challenges.

Graeme Bell, General Manager for Inverness Airport said, “We are delighted to act as one of the testing grounds for the autonomous vehicle which is being used to explore the potential of a vehicle connection for passengers travelling between the railway station and the terminal building.”

The distance from the railway station to the terminal is 1.2km, and the Auto-Pod will be covering about 750m of the journey.  Currently, the alternative for passengers is to walk the whole route or take the shuttle bus for which there is a charge unless you have the Go-Hi app. This trial is to gauge public perception surrounding autonomous vehicles and will assess the feasibility of introducing an on-demand, low-cost connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) service to the region. By leveraging autonomous vehicle technology, the project aims to enhance accessibility, reduce passenger travel times, and significantly decrease CO2 emissions, contributing to Scotland’s NetZero goals.

Prof. David Keene, CEO of Aurrigo noted “Operating at Inverness Airport highlights the diverse environments where Aurrigo’s automated vehicles can truly make an impact.” He continued “The aviation industry as a whole offers countless opportunities for this innovative technology to enhance operations, improve safety, and transform the passenger experience.”

HITRANS Director Ranald Robertson said, “HITRANS are delighted to be a partner in this project which will help improve our understanding of what passenger transport might look like in the Highlands and Islands in the future. 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.’

Project partners include the University of Glasgow, the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership, Aurrigo International plc, Stagecoach North Scotland, and Darwin Innovation Group Ltd., and is funded through Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles’ (“CCAV”) Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility (“CAM”) competition.

About Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership

The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) is the regional transport partnership for the Highlands and Islands covering Highland, Moray, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Orkney Islands and most of Argyl and Bute.  HITRANS works with partners to improve transport services in the Highlands and Islands and has been involved in the delivery of a large number of innovative transport technology programmes.

About Stagecoach North Scottland

Stagecoach North Scotland is the operating subsidiary company of Stagecoach Group delivering bus and coach services throughout the Highlands and North East of Scotland.  The company has embraced technology with Inverness having become the UK’s first city to have an all electric bus network in 2023 and Stagecoach Group are also the operating partner of the CAV Forth project.

About Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL)

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) is a private limited company wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers and responsible for the management and operation of 11 regional airports located at: Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Dundee, Inverness, Islay, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick John O’Groats. Working with our stakeholders, HIAL is committed to supporting the essential socio-economic role of aviation in Scotland by maintaining and developing its airports and the connections they provide for some of our country’s more remote communities.

About Aurrigo International plc

Aurrigo International plc is an international designer and developer of fully integrated smart airside solutions for the aviation industry, including automated vehicles, systems and software. The Group’s proprietary, award-winning autonomous technology and secure management system is supporting some of the world’s leading airports. Find out more at www.aurrigo.com

Contact Information

Aurrigo International plc Tenille Houston, VP Public Relations and Communications Miles Garner, Sales and Marketing Director	+1 343 322 4297 media@aurrigo.com   +44 (0)2476 635818
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