UK: Autonomous electric shuttles launch in Solihull

Autonomous electric shuttles are operating on a 7-km public route linking Resorts World, the NEC, Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Business Park. The service runs as part of a live trial of self-driving, zero-emission vehicles in mixed-traffic conditions.

Solihull uk autonomous shuttle ohmio — Image: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

The deployment represents the most advanced phase to date of the Solihull & Coventry Automated Links Evolution (SCALE) project, a multi-partner initiative focused on testing connected and autonomous mobility in real-world environments. The project is delivered by a consortium led by Solihull Council.

Until 26 March, the shuttles operate from Tuesday to Thursday between 10 am and 3 pm. Travel is free and does not require any advance booking.

The fleet consists of Ohmio Lift autonomous electric shuttles supplied by Ohmio. Operational support for the full-route deployment is being provided by Liftango, which provides real-time vehicle coordination, passenger trip scheduling, dynamic routing and live shuttle tracking.

The launch marks a major milestone for SCALE, which previously operated three autonomous electric shuttles within the NEC campus between March 2024 and July 2025. The extension into a live, mixed-traffic environment represents the project’s most complex real-world deployment to date.

“Seeing the autonomous shuttles travel the full 7 km route for the first time is a major milestone for SCALE. Extending the deployment across a more complex environment gives us invaluable insight into how autonomous transport can integrate safely and seamlessly into busy public settings,” said Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Planning at Solihull Council.

Grant Fraser, UK Business Development Director at Liftango, added: “Supporting the first full route deployment with our real-time mobility platform demonstrates how digital infrastructure and autonomous technology can work hand in hand.”

The SCALE consortium also includes Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick, Coventry University, Transport for West Midlands, the NEC, Coventry City Council, IPG and dRISK. The project is funded through the UK Government’s CAM Pathfinder programme, delivered by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with Innovate UK and Zenzic.

investinukcentral.com, thescaleproject.io