Solihull Council and the SCALE consortium have confirmed that the latest phase of the award‑winning Solihull & Coventry Automated Links Evolution (SCALE) project will go live on 5 February. The development marks a significant step forward for the UK’s autonomous mobility sector, with the project’s fleet of autonomous shuttles set to operate for the first time across the full 7km route linking Resorts World, the NEC — including Birmingham International Train Station — and Birmingham Business Park (BBP).
The deployment builds on earlier phases of SCALE, which between March 2024 and July 2025 trialled three Ohmio Lift autonomous shuttles across the NEC campus. Until now, the route terminated before the busy Bickenhill Parkway roundabout, making this latest expansion the most ambitious real‑world demonstration of the technology undertaken by the consortium to date.
Support for the new phase is being provided by
Liftango, a global specialist in demand‑responsive transport systems, fixed‑route services and carpool platforms. Working alongside major bus operators and government transport bodies, Liftango’s UK team is contributing operational expertise, including real‑time vehicle coordination, passenger scheduling, dynamic routing and live shuttle tracking.
Visitors to the NEC, Resorts World and Birmingham Business Park can ride the autonomous shuttles without booking in advance. The service runs Tuesday to Thursday, 10am–3pm, and will continue until 26 March 2026. Shuttle locations can be tracked in real time at
The SCALE Project.
Major milestoneCouncillor Andy Mackiewicz, cabinet member for climate change and planning, said: “Seeing the autonomous shuttles travel the full 7km route for the first time is a major milestone for SCALE. Extending the deployment across a more complex environment gives us invaluable insight into how autonomous transport can integrate safely and seamlessly into busy public settings. We are excited to invite visitors, workers, and residents to come and experience this technology for themselves as we continue shaping the future of shared transport here in Solihull.”
Lori McDonagh, marketing, community and business development manager at Birmingham Business Park, said: “As a destination that welcomes up to 10,000 visitors every day, we are always looking for innovative ways to improve connectivity and enhance the experience for everyone who works here or comes to the park. Hosting the full‑route deployment of the SCALE autonomous shuttles is an exciting step forward, giving our community the chance to engage directly with this exciting technology.”
Grant Fraser, UK business development director at Liftango, welcomed the opportunity to support the programme. He said: “We are proud to be joining the SCALE consortium at such a pivotal moment. Supporting the first full route deployment with our real‑time mobility platform demonstrates how digital infrastructure and autonomous technology can work hand in hand. SCALE is showing what the future of shared, sustainable transport can look like, and we’re excited to help bring that vision to life.”
The project is delivered by a consortium led by Solihull Council, working with partners including Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the University of Warwick, Coventry University, Transport for West Midlands, Ohmio, the NEC, Coventry City Council, IPG, dRISK and, most recently, Liftango.
Ohmio’s CEO Dean Zabrieszach said: “Launching the full 7km SCALE route is a major step forward for autonomous transport in the UK. Moving beyond a campus environment and operating across a live, mixed‑traffic network demonstrates the maturity, safety and real‑world readiness of Ohmio’s autonomous shuttle technology. We are proud to be working alongside Solihull Council and the SCALE consortium to show how autonomous mobility can deliver practical, accessible and sustainable transport solutions that people can experience today.”
The initiative is funded through the UK Government’s CAM Pathfinder programme, delivered by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in partnership with Innovate UK and Zenzic.