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Dromos Technologies from Munich, international group Egis and Croydon-headquartered Mott MacDonald will cover aspects including the vehicle and infrastructure required for the new line, which will travel through Cambridge city centre and link to surrounding towns and villages.
The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) challenged the firms to propose technologies, innovations, designs, operational systems and commercial ideas for the network. The challenge is not intended to conclusively find the final design, but it will nonetheless inform what the metro will look like and how it will be delivered.
The scheme could become a “lighthouse project showcasing how to solve passenger transport with 21st century technology,” said Lars Herold, CEO of Dromos Technologies.
“With the Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro, we have another opportunity to transform the CPCA region’s future by introducing a sustainable solution that is bespoke, optimised and adaptable to emerging technological development that will stand out as a beacon for future autonomous systems to come,” said Laurent Germain, CEO of Egis.
The designs are expected to answer questions including “What type and size of proposed autonomous metro vehicles could be suitable?” Other considerations include what infrastructure is needed, how the metro will run, and how to ensure the environment is protected.
“This challenge is a test to the very best brains in the market to help pioneer what the CAM will look like and how it can best be delivered. I’m clear that we want the CAM to offer our region the kind of high-quality public transport normally reserved for the biggest cities,” said James Palmer, mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
“We can be a trailblazer for the future of transport in smaller cities and their regions, and there is no better place in the world to be a first-mover than Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Once again, we want this region to lead the way.”
The three firms will present their concepts to the Mayoral Combined Authority in March.
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