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ALIKE: Federal government promotes autonomous ride pooling in Hamburg with 26 million euros

ALIKE is the autonomous on-demand service that will be tested as a project until October 2026. Shuttles from Benteler's subsidiary Holon and the VW ID. Buzz AD will be used, with generous funding.

With an autonomous on-demand transport service, a mobility solution is to be created in the Hanseatic city that complements the traditional public transport of buses and trains with a new product and represents an attractive alternative to the car. (Photo: Hochbahn)
With an autonomous on-demand transport service, a mobility solution is to be created in the Hanseatic city that complements the traditional public transport of buses and trains with a new product and represents an attractive alternative to the car. (Photo: Hochbahn)
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Johannes Reichel
von Martina Weyh

Up to 10,000 autonomously driving shuttles could be on Hamburg's streets by 2030. This is outlined in an agreement between the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMDV) and the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. With a modern on-demand transportation service, a mobility solution is to be created in the Hanseatic city that complements the traditional public transportation system of buses and trains with a new product and presents an attractive alternative to private cars.

The project has a duration of three years and is divided into three main phases: In the preparation phase, detailed project planning and software development take place. In the integration phase, the vehicles are linked with the operational software. Additionally, permits for vehicles and operational areas are obtained in accordance with the new legislation on autonomous driving. The operational phase will see the launch of the autonomous ride-pooling service starting in 2025. At that point, the first passengers will be able to ride in the shuttles.

Transform Public Transport for the Future

In the ALIKE project, a system with autonomous shuttles is to be tested, which can easily be booked via an app and pick up the passenger directly and take them to their destination. The system meets strict safety requirements and is designed to be scalable and usable even in rural areas. The aim of the model project is also to investigate the acceptance of autonomous transport services in practice. The project results are intended to form the basis for future commercial provision and scaling of ridepooling services.

The pioneering public transport project is being funded by the BMDV with 26 million euros. The funding notice was handed over to the project consortium on October 23 by Federal Minister of Transport Volker Wissing in the presence of Hamburg's Senator for Transport and Mobility Transition Anjes Tjarks.

Consortium with Six Project Partners

Six project partners have come together in this consortium: Hochbahn as the consortium leader, the on-demand service Moia, the vehicle manufacturers Holon and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, as well as the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) as a research partner, and the Hamburg Authority for Transport and Mobility Transition (BVM).

“With this broad alliance for autonomous driving, we are implementing another aspect of the joint agreement with the federal government, with which we aim to further develop Hamburg into a model region for mobility. Autonomous ridepooling is the missing piece of the puzzle between traditional public transport and the individual mobility needs of citizens. With it, we are creating an entirely new pillar in public transport, an attractive alternative to private cars, and a crucial prerequisite to achieve the 'Hamburg-Takt' and offer everyone in Hamburg a public transport service within five minutes,” said Anjes Tjarks, Hamburg's Senator for Transport and Mobility Transition.

Holon Mover and ID. Buzz AD Cover Different Needs

ALIKE will operate with two models of autonomously driving, fully electric shuttles. One shuttle comes from the Benteler subsidiary Holon. According to the manufacturer, the Holon Mover is one of the first with automotive standards and offers maximum safety and comfort for up to 15 passengers.

With a top speed of 60 km/h, the shuttle will integrate optimally into city traffic. It is barrier-free, with an automated ramp, a secured wheelchair space, and both auditory and visual support for passengers.

The second vehicle is the ID. Buzz AD from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. It has already successfully completed the first tests on public roads and will be Volkswagen's first autonomous production vehicle. The ID. Buzz AD offers the ideal size for operation in urban areas – compact, agile, and with optimal space utilization.

“The VW ID. Buzz AD offers mass-production technology, a self-driving system from Mobileye, and the ideal size for use in major cities like Hamburg. Our vehicles use cameras, radars, and lidars, as well as high-performance computers. Based on this, a human perception-superior 360° environment recognition is created for safe driving commands. The vehicles have already been successfully tested under real conditions in Munich and Austin,” explains Christian Senger, Head of Autonomous Driving Development at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Combined Expertise for Operational Concept and App Development

In the project consortium, Hochbahn and Moia, two established mobility solution providers, join forces. They have experience with autonomous vehicles and possess powerful and accepted platforms for bookings with the hvv switch app and the Moia app.

The operational and ridepooling software is provided by Moia. The company has been operating Europe’s largest fully electric ridepooling service with drivers in Hamburg since 2019 and has extensive experience in setting up and operating on-demand traffic.

Hochbahn is Germany’s second-largest public transport company and was responsible for the successful research and development project HEAT (Hamburg Electric Autonomous Transportation) until 2020/21, during which initial experiences with the operation of an autonomous shuttle in line service in Hamburg were gathered (bus planner reported).

“ALIKE brings together very different project partners with their respective strengths: For the first time, transport companies, ridepooling providers, vehicle manufacturers, as well as experts from science and politics, are jointly advancing the topic of autonomous driving. The goal is a mobility solution that can also be expanded and transferred to other cities and regions. There is no global precedent for such a holistic system,” explains Henrik Falk, CEO of Hochbahn.

Accompanying Research on Social Acceptance and Traffic Impact

The scientific support is provided by the Institute for Transport Studies (IfV) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The IfV deals with all mobility-related questions, ranging from socially grounded planning concepts to technical developments in traffic. With an interdisciplinary approach, the IfV aims to organize traffic efficiently and sustainably, research the effects of new mobility systems on users, and ensure system integration.

As another consortium partner, the Hamburg Authority for Transport and Mobility Transition (BVM) ensures political connectivity and plays a key role in the approval process. Within the ALIKE project, the SAE Automation Level 4 (highly automated driving) is to be achieved and implemented.

The ALIKE project also aims to research the social acceptance of autonomous driving in public transport and model the mobility behavior of the public. Extensive information offerings and surveys are planned for this purpose. The results will be incorporated into the modeling to assess the impacts of the autonomous offer based on various scenarios.

An additional, associated partner is DRM Datenraum Mobilität GmbH. They will support the consortium in defining a suitable application case for a European data space for the mobility sector (Mobility Data Space) to enhance data sharing.

Translated automatically from German.
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