Two driverless passenger shuttle vehicles have hit the road as part of a pilot project in the Scottish Highlands.
A four-seater Aurrigo Auto-Pod and larger 10-seater Aurrigo Auto-Shuttle have been launched to help improve the connection between Inverness Airport and the nearby railway station.
Currently, passengers have to walk the whole 1.2km route between the terminal and train station or take the shuttle bus, for which there is a charge without the Go-Hi app.
During the trial, the auto-pod will cover about 750m of the journey.
The larger vehicle will also be used to offer transport around the University of the Highlands and Islands Inverness campus.
The pilot is scheduled to run until 30 August.
During the trial, only two people will be carried in the pod as a safety operator will be stationed in the front seats.
The shuttle will carry eight people, with a safety team of two in the front cab.
The project aims to gauge public perception surrounding autonomous vehicle technology and will assess the feasibility of introducing an on-demand, low-cost connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) service to the region.
Those behind the scheme hope it will enhance accessibility, reduce passenger travel times and significantly decrease CO2 emissions, contributing towards Scotland’s net-zero goals.
Professor David Keene, CEO of Aurrigo, said: “The aviation industry as a whole offers countless opportunities for this innovative technology to enhance operations, improve safety, and transform the passenger experience.”
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Project partners include the University of Glasgow, Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS), Aurrigo International plc, Stagecoach North Scotland, and Darwin Innovation Group Ltd.
It has been funded through Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.
Ranald Robertson, HITRANS director, said the project will help improve understanding of what passenger transport might look like in the Highlands and Islands in the future.
He added: “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.”