Heathrow to trial self-driving pods this summer

Heathrow will collaborate with Westfield Sportscars and Oxbotica to develop the pods - which will be capable of operating fully autonomously and safely on the streets of London, the airport said in a press release. The pods will undergo public trials this summer. The three companies will be working together to develop the existing Ultra PODS which have been in service at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 for nearly five years. These zero-emission, battery operated pods have carried more than 1.5 million passengers and eliminated the need for 700,000 bus journeys. The pods will now be adapted to navigate the streets of Greenwich without the need for dedicated tracks. Steve Chambers, Director of Engineering and Asset Management at Heathrow said, “The GATEway Project is a fantastic opportunity to seize on the potential of our leading-edge 'Ultra POD' technology, which has already removed 70,000 bus journeys a year from Heathrow roads and the equivalent of 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.” The GATEway project (Greenwich Automated Transport Environment) is an £8 million project to investigate public perception, reaction and engagement with a range of different types of automated vehicles.

Heathrow's automated pods at T5