The UK's first autonomous buses are due to begin carrying passengers in Scotland on Monday. The service, which will start on Monday, will consist of five single-deck buses that will run on a 14-mile route. The operators of the service says it aims to carry 10,000 passengers a week on the commute between Ferrytoll Park and Ride in Fife and the Edinburgh Park train and tram interchange. Although the buses will use sensors to navigate pre-determined roads at speeds of up to 50 mph, two staff members will still be required, doubling the workforce of a traditional bus. The UK does not currently permit fully autonomous vehicles, mandating a safety driver at all times. The bus will have a safety driver in the driver's seat to monitor the situation, while a captain on board will handle ticketing and passenger questions. Drivers are not expected to touch the controls while the vehicle operates in autonomous mode. The on-board system will detect other road users, tracking them to prevent collisions. Optical cameras and radar will scan each side of the road to check for pedestrians. The control system includes an artificial intelligence engine that receives information from throughout the bus to determine its exact location and calculate the safest route to its destination. It is estimated that the autonomous service will save up 20% on fuel compared to a manually driven vehicle. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES