Driverless pods may soon provide transport across Hammersmith Bridge in west London, which has been closed to motor vehicles since 2019 after structural cracks were discovered. The bridge, linking Hammersmith and Barnes, may remain shut to cars and lorries for an extended period, with officials stating that repairs would 'essentially require' a new bridge.
BHELT's proposal for lightweight pods
The Barnes and Hammersmith Electric Light Transit (BHELT), a community group, has proposed using 'lightweight autonomous electric pods' called the Ohmio AV Shuttle. These pod-shaped vehicles, described as like small trams, run on 'virtual tracks' using AI. They have no steering wheels or footbrakes and weigh less than three tonnes, making them light enough for the bridge.
Each pod can carry up to 14 people—eight seated and six standing—with space for a wheelchair accessible via a ramp. The pods travel at up to 15 mph and use LiDAR technology and sensors to navigate, brake for pedestrians, and manoeuvre around obstacles without human guidance, according to BHELT chair Charles Campion.
Test drives and planned routes
Currently, the vehicles require a safety driver using a joystick due to legal requirements. Test drives were conducted earlier this month from Barnes to Castelnau to train the pod's AI. Campion suggested the pods could run from Hammersmith transport interchange to the Barnes side of the bridge and to Barnes railway station.
On Instagram, BHELT has asked users to name the pods, with 'Podri'—after Spanish footballer Pedro González López—as a suggested option. The shuttle bus idea was inspired by proposals from the climate charity Possible in 2023.
TfL's position
Transport for London (TfL) stated it has no plans to roll out the pods or introduce driverless buses elsewhere on the network. Campion emphasised the need for a 'green' future, saying, 'Unnecessary car travel is choking the city and the people who live in it, and bringing cars back over Hammersmith Bridge, even if it was affordable, would have made that problem worse.'
