- Autonomous small bus in the Upper Palatinate
Autonom and electric, a minibus will soon drive through the new development by the lake in Roding (Cham district). The "AVL AutBus" project is entering the test phase and will be presented on Wednesday (11:00 AM). The operator aims to present a modern and sustainable mobility solution for rural regions. The bus will connect important hubs like the campsite within the town and supplement public transport.
Unlike in other regions, the vehicle in Roding, according to a spokesperson, is not a specially developed minibus, but a standard minibus equipped with the necessary technology. The operator hopes this will bring advantages in terms of robustness. Moreover, the bus can travel up to 80 km/h, while other minibuses are significantly slower. However, the bus in Roding will initially also drive slower.
In the daily life of the Lower Bavarian spa town of Bad Birnbach (Rottal-Inn district), electrically powered and autonomously driving minibuses have been established since 2017. A pilot project has since become a permanent fixture. Shuttle buses run between the thermal spa, station, and market square. Since 2022, two additional buses on demand serve 20 stops. The offer is very well received by tourists and locals, a spokesperson said.
Since 2021, the Shuttle Model Region Oberfranken (SMO) project has been running. Minibuses in Hof, Kronach, and Bad Steben transport passengers free of charge from A to B. The project also ran in Rehau at times. After a 1000-day runtime, the operators drew a positive balance.
Bad Birnbach Project Oberfranken Munich Project Roding
The 'AVL AutBus' project in Roding aims to enhance rural mobility by leveraging modern and sustainable technology in traditional [Transport and telecommunications] systems, such as minibuses. The Shuttle Model Region Oberfranken project in Munich and other areas also demonstrates the effectiveness of free, autonomous, and electric [Transport and telecommunications] solutions for transporting passengers efficiently.
