The Swiss Transit Lab (STL) in Schaffhausen is about to take another step in the development of automated mobility in public transport. With the pilot project "STL Line 13", an automated bus operation in the city center of Schaffhausen is to be opened this year for the application of new technologies. The vehicle for this purpose arrived in Schaffhausen these days and was presented.
Events
2022 August 26thFor this purpose, a commercial Toyota Proace Verso Electric minibus has been upgraded in recent weeks with the technology of the Finnish company Sensible 4. This phase was successfully completed and the vehicle was transferred to Switzerland. This represents an important step towards the launch of the "STL Line 13" project.
At the information event on August 26, 2022 on the premises of the Schaffhausen transport authority, the automated vehicle was presented by the Swiss Transit Lab association together with the technology partner Sensible 4. "After an intensive planning phase, we are pleased to now have the vehicle on site and to start the project soon," says Matthias Rödter, President of Swiss Transit Lab.
"The soon scheduled start of operations of STL Line 13 will set new standards and enable highly exciting projects around the mobility of the future," Dirk Apel, Vice President of Swiss Transit Lab is convinced.
Harri Santamala, CEO of Sensible 4 also delivered a greeting message: "We are very pleased to participate in this exciting project with the STL. We have already done several automated driving projects around the world - but this will be our first long-term self-driving service in Switzerland. We look forward to offering the transport services of the future to the people of Schaffhausen today," says Harri Santamala, CEO of Sensible 4.
In the coming weeks, the vehicle and the organization will be prepared for the temporary pilot operation in the center of Schaffhausen. In close cooperation with the local authorities and several federal offices under the leadership of the Federal Roads Office FEDRO, the necessary permits are being prepared. For this purpose, the vehicle received today will be thoroughly tested on the depot premises of the Schaffhausen transport authority as well as on the pilot route. The vehicle will be stationed in the bus depot of Verkehrsbetriebe Schaffhausen until the start of pilot operation and outside operating hours.
The start of pilot operations and regular service as part of the public transport network is planned for late fall 2022.