The Berliner Verkehrsgemeinschaft (BVG) is researching the use of autonomous shuttles in regular use.
The aim of the research project is to use self-driving vehicles in Berlin by the end of the decade and thus missing positions to balance. Because not only the forwarding industry, but also the buses and trains need staff.
The project envisages a pilot operation until 2025, with the shuttles moving through north-west Berlin. The autonomous minibuses are initially to be used in new development areas such as the Waterkant or the Insel Gartenfeld in Spandau. These are now monitored by a technical supervisor who keeps an eye on several vehicles from a control center. So far there have always been people on board who could intervene in an emergency.
Furthermore, accompany the Technical University Berlin and the Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM) the project. The Federal Ministry of Transport plans to fund the project with around 9.5 million euros. This would finance more than half of the total costs. The funding decision is still pending.
Various cities have initiated such projects with federal funds totaling 55 million euros. Hanover wants to introduce autonomous buses into operation and Munich wants to run shuttles from 2025.
There have already been a number of projects on this in Berlin. so on Charité campus and the Virchow Clinic or in the project “Nautical mile” in Alt-Tegel between the underground stations Alt-Tegel and Seeterrassen.