Feb 28, 2025

28 February 2025 Connector, a pilot of autonomous buses in Cambridge, has entered a world of online simulation and testing supported by two key members of the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP)-led consortium. dRISK and IPG Automotive, are working together to create online simulations to predict and analyse different scenarios that Connector buses will find themselves in during their on-road trials. Through collaboration, they are looking to identify levels of risk before any real-life testing with the vehicles takes place – ensuring safety remains at the forefront of the autonomous bus trial . Andy Williams, Chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s Smart Working Group said: “We’re moving forward with our Connector project which is  exploring the use of autonomous buses to potentially become part of  Cambridge’s public transport system. Our partnership with government and industry recognises testing of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology before the buses carry passengers is essential for us to understand how autonomy can support a greener, more efficient transport network across Greater Cambridge. “We know how exciting AV technology is but we also know that simulation work like this offers a safer, faster, and more cost-effective way to trial the hundreds of scenarios autonomous buses may encounter. This kind of thorough testing allows development and deployment projects such as Connector to further refine the most critical things that need to be tested in the physical world. “Together, dRISK and IPG are helping the Connector project understand how and where system technology or vehicle updates and additional tests in the real-world can enhance safety for road-users and passengers as they experience travelling on an autonomous vehicle.” dRISK is using advanced data-modelling techniques to analyse risk levels on the chosen AV service routes. By collecting comprehensive data from existing road traffic accident reports, insurance records, and real-world autonomous vehicle incidents elsewhere, dRISK are able to identify and highlight high-risk scenarios that Connector vehicles might encounter on their journeys around Cambridge. Chess Stetson, CEO of dRISK, said: “We provide a platform called Conode that fuses together data from lots of sources including AV simulations. The platform finds areas of potential failure and then generates new scenarios to test on so that we can totally cover the scenario space. IPG Automotive is providing the simulation tools, digital infrastructure and expertise to analyse any vehicle configuration on countless driving scenarios and edge cases, mitigating the risks of the initial deployment. Miriam Wale, marketing & events manager at IPG, said: “Cambridge can look forward to having greater options available for those travelling around the city whilst being part of this pioneering trial bringing autonomous self-driving buses into reality. "Our TruckMaker software replicates high-risk situations in a virtual space. This allows us to test the vehicle’s reaction to scenarios in a multitude of circumstances such as dry, wet, icy, or snowy conditions, during the day or at night, and on busy or quiet roads. Doing this enables the autonomous technology to respond and adapt to real-world complexities without the need for physical trials under every circumstance.” To learn more, watch our short video that explains the simulation work going on behind the scenes for Connector.