Designs for ground-breaking autonomous electric bus project come to life 

The CPL One team’s designs for the first in a series of purpose-built autonomous vehicles for Cambridge have been unveiled.

Our team developed the livery concepts for two different sized self-driving electric buses, which are part of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s Connector project, during 2024. 

Now the first of the larger vehicles has been delivered to the project ready for track testing ahead of the planned launch of Connector later this year.

Our team, led by senior designer Robyn McCurdy and creative director Gary Phillips, worked with Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) and bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis to develop the look and feel of the livery for their buses.

“It’s great to see our design concepts coming to life,” explains Robyn. “We wanted to create a distinctive brand identity that would reflect the cutting-edge innovation being used for the electric buses and the way they will eventually connect people across the city and beyond.

“The brand wordmark and colour palette were centred on the concept of movement, using gradients paired with kinetic typography to imbue the brand with a sense of fluidity and motion. The icon we used creates the base for the brand’s graphic language and can be rolled out across animations, social media, merchandise and, of course, the livery of the vehicles.”

Backed by Innovate UK, the Connector project is part funded and supported by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles.

Cllr Elisa Meschini, chair of the GCP’s executive board, says: “Connector will see autonomous vehicles being trialled on our city’s roads to investigate their potential to transform the way people travel. This is a significant opportunity for Cambridge to lead the way in innovation, paving the way for more sustainable and efficient ways to get to where people need to go. 

“Seeing the first vehicle arrive and be ready for testing is a testament to the collaborative efforts of everyone involved with the consortium and I look forward to seeing how this technology can potentially shape the future of public transport.” CPL One managing director Mike Sewell adds: “It’s great to see the first of the buses rolling off the production line and exciting to be involved in such an interesting and innovative project in our home city. Our brief was to create a visual identity that will help build recognition and trust for the Connector brand and service – and we’re confident that Robyn, Gary and the team have done just that.”