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Solihull and Conigital secures funding to make automated shuttle routes a reality in the West Midlands



Continuing to build on its reputation at the leading edge of Connected Automated Vehicle (CAV) technology, Solihull is set to benefit from joint government and industry funding to deliver an exciting new project.Get more news about Automatic Shuttle Transfer System,you can vist our website!

Solihull Council has secured funds, with leading autonomous technology provider Conigital, for a pioneering development project which will see automated shuttles ferrying passengers between Birmingham International rail station and Birmingham Business Park through the NEC Birmingham, seeking to establish a new permanent commercial route.

The proposed route forms a key part of a wider project being overseen by a regional consortium led Conigital. The Multi-Area Connected Automated Mobility (MACAM) project will also see a similar route rolled out between Coventry rail station and Coventry University campus.

The two new routes will be served by a mixed fleet of 13 automated shuttles and underpinned by a new centralised, Remote Monitoring Teleoperation (RMTO) centre operated by Transport for West Midlands. The RMTO centre will be used to monitor the project’s automated vehicles and (when required) control them, using 5G connectivity. The landmark project aims to make self-driving vehicle operations commercially viable and offset current technology and operator costs.

A total of £42 million has been awarded by government and then matched by private industry to fund a range of projects across the country, intended to demonstrate sustainable commercial CAV services by 2025. As part of the Conigital led MACAM project in the West Midlands, Solihull Council is expected to receive £279,260 of grant-funding to include revenue for project managing vehicle deployment within Solihull, as well as capital funds for installing roadside technology to allow effective operation of the vehicles. Additional funds have also been secured to carry out an early feasibility study into providing a CAV service between East Birmingham North Solihull (EBNS) as part of a separate project. This will look at the proposed EBNS transit corridor which could connect the forthcoming HS2 Interchange Station in Solihull to Birmingham City Centre.

Solihull Council has already established itself as a key player in this emerging sector. In 2021 it became the first local authority in the country to purchase its own electric and fully autonomous shuttle, using a grant from the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP). Since then, successful passenger trials have been carried out at both Birmingham Airport and the NEC, where the shuttle was also used in the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay. Building on the success of these deployments, there are plans for further trials with the shuttle to get underway at Birmingham Business Park next later this month.