Bristol, UK, 3rd September 2025: Fusion Processing Ltd, a leader in autonomous vehicle systems, has announced major progress towards operating automated vehicles with No User In Charge (NUIC), achieving SAE Level 4 capability in live projects and track testing.

NUIC also called “Driver Out” operation will see vehicles in freight, logistics and passenger transport applications operate with no driver on board. Instead, the vehicles will operate autonomously on agreed routes and areas. NUIC vehicles will be managed by a central Control Room where remote operators can if necessary, take over manual drive of the vehicle. NUIC will open new employment opportunities for people allowing commercial vehicles to be operated from office type environments.

Fusion is advancing the AutonoBus project, which will see an Alexander Dennis Enviro100AEV operating at SAE Level 4 with No User In Charge during controlled track testing. The vehicle will be continuously supervised by a trained safety driver located in a remote Control Room, ready to assume control at any moment if required. This development represents a critical step in validating the safety, robustness and commercial viability of remote supervision of automated buses.

The AutonoBus project will see Fusion add capabilities to the vehicle that will allow passengers to see and hear and communicate with the staff in the remote Control Room.  Blue Light personnel outside the bus will also be able to interact with Control Room staff via monitors and microphones, and the vehicle will be able to “see and hear” blue light vehicles and react appropriately.

The company’s groundbreaking work includes the Transport for London (TfL) live bus depot trial, where Fusion’s CAVstar® Automated Drive System (ADS) will enable automated manoeuvres of Alexander Dennis electric buses in complex depot environments. This project is paving the way for safer, more efficient depot operations and is a significant milestone in bringing NUIC technology to real-world applications.

Funded by the UK Government, the CAM Pathfinder FS competition is delivered by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV), supported by Zenzic and Innovate UK, and will support 14 projects aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of CAM solutions and technology. The competition – which is part of the £150m Pathfinder programme announced in the Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan – aims to investigate early commercial CAM opportunities and support the UK supply chain to grow and fill technology gaps necessary for their deployment.

Jim Hutchinson, CEO of Fusion Processing, said: “Fusion is at the forefront of making No User In Charge operations a reality. With projects such as the TfL depot trial and the AutonoBus track demonstrations, we are proving that NUIC technology can deliver meaningful safety, efficiency and operational benefits. These milestones move us closer to the day when autonomous buses can operate seamlessly and safely in real-world environments.”

Fusion Processing’s NUIC-enabled vehicles use its advanced CAVstar® ADS, which integrates radar, lidar, and optical camera systems to provide 360-degree situational awareness. The system allows precise manoeuvring within two to three centimetres of accuracy. In NUIC mode, vehicles can safely navigate depots, charging points and track routes, while remote operators maintain oversight and can intervene instantly if necessary.

The combination of on-board intelligence and remote supervision opens the door to safer operations in high-risk areas such as bus depots, where manual manoeuvres currently contribute to thousands of incidents each year. NUIC also offers operators improved efficiency and flexibility, while reducing costs associated with vehicle damage and downtime.

These developments build upon Fusion Processing’s decade-long track record in delivering world-leading autonomous systems for buses, freight vehicles and specialist applications. With more than two million kilometres of autonomous on highway operations already completed, Fusion continues to set the standard for safe, scalable autonomous mobility.