Fusion Processing has secured government-backed funding through the CAM Pathfinder programme to conduct a feasibility study on the deployment of autonomous vehicles for airside staff transport at UK airports. The study will examine how a single control centre could manage a mixed fleet of SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicles, replacing existing manually operated cars, minibuses and buses that typically function as separate systems. Airports across the UK are being invited to participate in the programme.
The project will assess the operational, economic and safety implications of introducing fully autonomous, no-user-in-charge vehicles within airport airside environments. It will draw on the company’s prior experience deploying its CAVstar automated drive system on public roads, including its use in the Connector project in Cambridge, where autonomous buses operate in a structured urban setting.
Jim Hutchinson, chief executive of Fusion Processing, said airports represent a potential market for autonomous vehicle technology and described the company’s experience operating autonomous fleets in controlled environments as a basis for adapting the technology to airside conditions. He said the aim is to replace fragmented vehicle operations with an integrated system managed from a central control point.
The feasibility study will focus on environments with defined routes, controlled access and mixed traffic, while also considering regulatory requirements. Engagement with the Civil Aviation Authority will form part of the work to address legislative frameworks governing autonomous vehicle operations within airport boundaries.
Initial research by the company indicates that airports rely on a combination of small vehicles, minibuses and larger buses, each with separate dispatch and scheduling systems. The study will model how these varied vehicle types could be integrated into a single operational framework using autonomous technology.
A central element of the proposed system is a Remote Operations Control Centre, from which operators would oversee the entire fleet. The model includes remote drive stations that allow staff to monitor multiple vehicles simultaneously and intervene by taking manual control when necessary.
The study will consider a mixed fleet comprising four-seat vehicles, 12-seat minibuses and 25-seat buses, alongside potential leasing and financing structures to support deployment.
Fusion Processing’s analysis suggests that autonomous operations could reduce operating costs by up to 40% compared with manually driven fleets, citing factors such as lower staffing requirements, improved energy efficiency and reduced maintenance. The study will also evaluate safety implications, noting that human error is widely associated with the majority of road traffic incidents.
The CAM Pathfinder programme, delivered by the Department for Business and Trade in collaboration with Innovate UK and Zenzic, is intended to support the development and commercialisation of connected and automated mobility technologies in the UK.
