Later this year, five autonomous buses will take to the roads between Ferrytoll Park and Ride in Fife and Edinburgh Park Train and Tram Exchange, as part of Project CAVForth.

The buses, which are currently in development, will see additional autonomous technology installed that enables them to run on selected roads.

Project CAVForth is a collaborative venture led by Stagecoach, Alexander Dennis and Fusion Processing Ltd in participation with Transport Scotland, Bristol Robotics Laboratory and Napier University.

The service will be operated by Stagecoach East Scotland. Each of the five buses will be capable of carrying up to 42 passengers on the 14 mile trip into Edinburgh, with capacity for up to 10,000 passengers per week. The buses will operate to Level 4 standard, meaning a driver will remain on board during all journeys in line with UK regulations.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson said: “Our trunk road network can provide a wide range of environments as a diverse testing ground, and the ground-breaking and globally significant Project CAVForth will really help Scotland establish its credentials on the world stage.”

Martin Griffiths, Chief Executive of Stagecoach Group, added: “Stagecoach has always been at the forefront of innovation and we have a strong and successful track record in harnessing new technology to launch new products and break new ground. We’re therefore very pleased to be leading the way in Scotland’s first autonomous bus trial.

“Our industry, customers and employees can benefit hugely from autonomous technology as it can make services safer, more efficient and help to deliver better journeys. We’re also investing heavily in the skills and development of our people. Alongside new technology developments, our employees will continue to play a critical role in delivering sustainable mobility services that our customers trust and rely on.”