Hamburg: autonomous shuttles delayed until 2026
As first announced back in 2023, Hamburg’s public transport operator Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH) plans to expand its on-demand shuttle service HVV Hop with 20 automated vehicles in the long term. The Ahoi project (Automation of Hamburg’s On-Demand Service with Integration into Public Transport) initially aimed to develop and test an on-demand operation with a mixed fleet of automated and manually driven vehicles in public traffic by the end of 2025.
However, at the signing of a contract between VHH and project partner IAV, it became clear that the schedule had to be revised. Following the delivery of the first autonomous electric shuttles from Austrian manufacturer eVersum next year, initial testing with a safety driver on board – but without regular passengers – will begin promptly. Testing with a closed user group is also planned for 2026.
The operational area will initially be very limited, located in the south of Hamburg. In other words, the autonomous shuttles will have to keep away from hotspots such as Jungfernstieg, Schanze, or Hamburg Harbour.
The project partners did not disclose the reasons for the delay. Instead, VHH and IAV stated that the newly signed contract for the underlying research and development cooperation paves the way for a key milestone in the project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Transport.
Dr Lorenz Kasch, Managing Director of vhh.mobility, said: “The path to fully autonomous shuttles as part of public transport in Germany is still long and requires true pioneering work. We look forward to collaborating with IAV and eVersum to further advance innovative and future-oriented mobility solutions for the people in the Hamburg metropolitan region.”
eVersum e-shuttle with IAV technology
The basis for the autonomous shuttles in the Ahoi project is eVersum’s e-shuttle. The electric vehicles, measuring 6.90 metres in length, will offer nine seats along with space for a wheelchair or pushchair. Initially, five such vehicles will be delivered, with plans to expand the fleet to 20 vehicles in future.
IAV will supply the autonomous driving system, consisting of sensors and software. The sensor suite includes LiDAR, camera, and radar systems to continuously detect the vehicle’s surroundings. The software generates driving manoeuvres based on object recognition and safely controls the vehicle along the defined route. IAV is a key development partner to the automotive industry, with shareholders including Volkswagen and several suppliers.
“With our expertise in autonomous driving technologies, we are making a decisive contribution to the mobility of the future”, said Carsten Rinka, Chief Sales and Projects Officer at IAV. “The ahoi project gives us the opportunity to develop and implement innovative solutions that enable sustainable and secure public transport.”
Volkswagen, as an IAV shareholder, is also involved in an autonomous driving project in Hamburg: ALIKE, which aims to trial up to 20 autonomous electric shuttles in the city. For ALIKE, Hamburger Hochbahn is partnering with Moia, Holon, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the Hamburg Authority for Transport and Mobility Transition. The project will use an autonomous e-shuttle from Benteler subsidiary Holon and the autonomous Volkswagen ID. Buzz AD.
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