Wrightbus and Queen’s University Secure Funding for Autonomous Bus Research

Wrightbus and Queen’s University Belfast are part of a consortium that has received government funding to explore the future of self-driving bus technology.

The project has been awarded up to £250,000 as part of a wider scheme supporting feasibility studies into autonomous transport. Other initiatives funded through the programme include research into driverless freight systems and automated shuttle services within NHS environments.

Trials involving limited autonomous bus operations have already taken place in parts of the UK. In Belfast, for example, a small self-driving minibus known as the Harlander previously ran along a short route in the Titanic Quarter.

The latest study involving Wrightbus will focus on laying the groundwork for future deployment rather than delivering a fully autonomous vehicle in the near term. The project will follow a staged, research-led approach to assess practical challenges and identify the safest and most effective ways to introduce the technology.

Dr Andy Harris, Wrightbus’s head of research and data analytics, said the aim is to build a strong and realistic commercial case for autonomous public transport, helping to guide its long-term development.