The federal government is also promoting autonomous driving services in rural areas
In order to ensure "individual mobility," especially in rural areas, the offering of autonomously driving traffic in Germany is to be expanded. This was reported by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) in its latest press release on this topic. The federal government is already sponsoring related metropolitan research projects, for example in Hamburg and Munich. Now, the activities are also to be extended to sparsely populated areas. For this purpose, Federal Transport Minister Dr. Volker Wissing launched two projects yesterday that aim to research the concrete application of this form of mobility in rural areas.
"Self-determined and affordable mobility"
Over the next three years, the potential of autonomous shuttles in sparsely populated and suburban regions will be tested in a joint research project in Potsdam-Mittelmark and Vorpommern-Rügen, according to reports. Dr. Wissing handed over the federal funding commitment of 2.3 million euros to the participating project partners yesterday, July 19, 2023. "Autonomous traffic can ensure individual mobility in rural areas," says Wissing. And further:
"I want people everywhere in Germany to be self-determined and affordably mobile."
Nationwide mobility without a car
Particularly in rural areas, autonomous on-demand traffic could enhance individual mobility, which would benefit elderly people or those who "cannot or do not want to drive themselves." On-demand autonomous shuttles would form a "cost-efficient" supplement to public transport (ÖPNV). According to Wissing, the supported project could provide valuable insights regarding the nationwide expansion of this mobility.
Ongoing Project Minga
With the Project Minga, which reportedly involves project partners from industry, science, administration, and associations, the federal government is already sponsoring a similar research project for the development of autonomous city buses in the Munich region with around 13 million euros. The software company Mobileye and commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN Truck & Bus are working on relevant solutions that, in addition to autonomous operation, will also offer comprehensive digital control possibilities for safe deployment.
New Project LEAF
In the newly developed project targeting rural areas named LEAF (Rural Development with Autonomous Vehicles), Regiobus Potsdam Mittelmark, Verkehrsgesellschaft Vorpommern-Rügen, and the districts of Potsdam-Mittelmark and Vorpommern-Rügen have joined forces. The aim is to create an "attractive mobility offering" to ensure connections to higher-level public transport services as well as rail, especially in structurally weaker areas. The federal government now aims to establish an "autonomous on-demand system with three vehicles" in the mentioned regions.
The trial operation will be accompanied by extensive scientific studies that encompass the entire environment, according to reports. For example, in addition to user acceptance, economic, social, and environmental impacts will also be assessed. Furthermore, the transferability to other districts will be examined.
Digitalization and Decarbonization
Furthermore, the potential of digitalization to optimize traffic conditions in rural areas is also a focus of the investigations and how the application would impact the "CO2 footprint." At the same time, initial measures are to be initiated to replace missing drivers and skilled workers with autonomous driving options for rural areas.
According to the press release, funding for the project, which will run until June 2026, is provided under the first call for proposals for the funding guideline "Autonomous and Connected Driving in Public Transport."
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