Driverless shuttle demos come to Orkney

Residents of Orkney are being invited to try out a self-driving Auto-Pod as part of a study exploring the feasibility of deploying driverless shuttles on the island.

Taking place in Kirkwall at Crossie Crown Place on 9-10 February 2026, the event will allow residents to experience autonomous technology firsthand while offering valuable real‑world insights for the Kirkwall AutoLink Feasibility Study. The project, led by Urban Foresight and supported by Aurrigo and Hitrans, investigates whether a self‑driving, zero‑emission vehicle could improve connectivity between Kirkwall Harbour and Kirkwall Airport.

The route is used by more than 160,000 passengers annually and 90% of airport journeys are currently made by private car. An autonomous, zero‑emission self-driving service could provide cleaner, dependable and more accessible travel, benefiting residents, workers and visitors.

Early research has highlighted both curiosity and caution among residents, and the demonstrator event, which will feature a small Auto-Pod, will allow participants to not only observe the self-driving Auto-Pod in action but to understand how the systems work. The project will also ask attendees to share their thoughts and feedback, helping support future decisions on trial design, regulatory readiness and the potential deployment of both Auto-Pods and larger shuttle buses.

Callum White, head of zero emission mobility at Urban Foresight, said:
“This demonstrator event is an exciting opportunity for Orkney to experience autonomous technology up close. It gives people the chance to ask questions, see how the vehicle operates and share their views in a way that directly influences how autonomous mobility could work in rural areas.”

Richard Fairchild, chief operations officer at Aurrigo, added: “We’re proud to bring our autonomous pod to Orkney and demonstrate how this technology can operate safely and effectively in remote settings. Engagement events such as this are crucial for building trust and shaping the future of autonomous transport.”

A spokesperson for Hitrans commented: “This is a major step forward in understanding what future mobility could look like for island communities. Local insight is central to the feasibility study, and this demonstrator event provides a valuable platform to gather it.”

The Feasibility Studies (FS) Competition is part of the £150m CAM Pathfinder programme, which is being delivered by Zenzic on behalf of the UK government.

Mark Cracknell, programme director at Zenzic, said: “CAM technologies have the potential to unlock huge societal and economic benefits, but in order for projects to succeed, they need the buy-in from the public, which is why events like this are so important, so we’d encourage anyone interested to sign up and get involved.”