hvv hop: On demand becomes autonomous

Since January, the on-demand shuttles "hvv hop," operated by Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein GmbH (VHH), have been supplementing public transportation in Hamburg-Harburg (As reported by VM sister magazine busplaner »). Electric cars from the British manufacturer LEVC are being used. The on-demand electric vehicles have six seats and are also converted to be barrier-free – passengers in wheelchairs can board using a ramp, and passengers with strollers can also be transported comfortably.

Now, the innovative service is being taken to a new level with the project "Automation of Hamburg's On-Demand Offering with Integration into Public Transportation" – abbreviated "AHOI" – according to the Hamburg transportation company. The research project is supported with funds from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) – today (March 21), Federal Minister for Transport Volker Wissing, in the presence of Hamburg's Senator for Transport and Mobility Transition, Anjes Tjarks, and hvv's Managing Director Anna-Theresa Korbutt, handed over the funding notice of around 18 million euros to VHH Managing Director Lorenz Kasch. The total funding volume for "AHOI" is stated to be 37 million euros.

With "AHOI," the components "On-Demand" and "Autonomous Driving" are to be linked in a unique application case across Europe. The goal of the research project is to develop and test an on-demand operation with a mixed fleet of autonomous and manually controlled vehicles.

"We want to put 20 autonomous vehicles into real operation by the end of 2025 to achieve the next milestone for the Hamburg-Takt," explained Hamburg's Senator for Transport and Mobility Transition, Anjes Tjarks, today.

The new research project is part of the overall strategy surrounding the so-called Hamburg-Takt: "By 2030, every Hamburg resident should be able to reach a public mobility offering within five minutes from morning until evening." This is only possible on a large scale by supplementing and linking the classic public transportation network with on-demand offerings.

"We want people to be able to remain self-determined in their mobility in the future. Autonomous on-demand services can be a key to maintaining individual mobility with increasing traffic volumes. The on-demand shuttle comes exactly when I need it. This way, we can relieve the roads in big cities, avoid empty trips, and protect the climate. To advance autonomous driving, we need bold and innovative partners. I'm sure the good idea of the autonomous hvv hop will find imitators," Wissing said during the handover.

In addition to VHH, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (FHH), the Berlin-based software developer PSI Transcom GmbH, the Institute for Climate Protection, Energy and Mobility (IKEM) based in Berlin and Greifswald, the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems in Dresden, and the Technical University of Hamburg (TUHH) are all part of the "AHOI" project. Moreover, the project partners intend to closely collaborate with the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), according to the accompanying press release.

Looking to the future of the Hanseatic city – by 2030, up to 10,000 autonomous vehicles are expected to be operating in Hamburg, creating a new digital on-demand transport service that can also be adapted for rural areas. Other projects on Hamburg's agenda include the automation of the city's S-Bahn and hosting the UITP World Congress in 2025 and 2027.