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idw - Informationsdienst
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A major milestone for connected, autonomous and zero-emission mobility has been reached as Spain's first autonomous on-demand bus has officially entered regular passenger service at Mercamadrid, the country's largest wholesale food distribution centre. The new service has been deployed within MOBILITIES FOR EU, coordinated in Madrid by the Madrid City Council through its Digital Office together with Mercamadrid, and operated by Alsa.
As one of Europe’s largest mobility projects MOBILITIES FOR EU brings together seven cities, with Madrid and Dresden as Lead Cities and five other Replication Cities. With a €25 million budget, 11 pilots, and 27 solutions, the project creates real-world demonstrations. Madrid tests autonomous shuttles, hydrogen-fuelled bus fleets, and smart logistics. Dresden focuses on autonomous mobility, intelligent traffic and parking, and 5G-based solutions.
Steinbeis Europa Zentrum is responsible for developing initial business models for suitable project outcomes, for example in the form of “Mobility-as-a-Service”, where mobility services (such as autonomous bus/shuttle operations) are planned, bundled, and delivered as a service. Through exploitation and business modelling workshops, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum works together with the result owners to structure the pathway from pilot to scale-up, define target segments and the value proposition, and document the outcomes in Business Model Canvas formats. Building on this, Steinbeis conducts market analyses that in particular examine procurement and contracting logic as well as key adoption barriers such as safety/authorisation requirements, liability, and user acceptance—thereby providing a basis for further exploitation decisions.
The autonomous electric bus in Madrid provides an innovative mobility solution for employees and visitors travelling across the extensive Mercamadrid site, where more than 20,000 people and 15,000 vehicles circulate every day. By combining autonomous driving with flexible on-demand operation, the service demonstrates how digital technologies can make mobility more efficient, sustainable and user-centred in complex real-world environments.
Unlike previous autonomous shuttle demonstrations, the new service operates as a regular public transport solution tailored to users' daily mobility needs. During peak operating hours (04:30–09:00), the bus follows a fixed schedule to accommodate the busiest travel periods. Between 09:00 and 10:30, passengers can request journeys through the “Alsa Mobilities” mobile app by selecting their origin and destination stops. The system automatically combines passenger requests and generates the most efficient route for the vehicle.
The project represents an international first by combining regular autonomous operation with an on-demand transport model in an open, operational environment. It also demonstrates autonomous driving in one of Spain's busiest logistics hubs, where traffic conditions are significantly more complex than those typically encountered by autonomous shuttle services.
The vehicle operates at SAE Level 4+ autonomous driving, with a trained operator on board to supervise the service. Future project phases will introduce remote supervision from a dedicated control centre in Madrid, paving the way for even higher levels of autonomous operation.
The bus is 100% electric, produces zero tailpipe emissions and can accommodate more than 30 passengers, offering substantially greater capacity than conventional autonomous shuttle vehicles. It is equipped with advanced perception and connectivity technologies, including 5G communications, multiple LiDAR sensors, cameras, ultrasonic sensors and high-precision positioning systems that enable safe operation under a wide range of traffic and weather conditions.
The service has also been coordinated with existing EMT Madrid bus lines serving Mercamadrid, ensuring seamless integration with the wider public transport network.
The deployment forms part of MOBILITIES FOR EU, which is part of the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme and aims to demonstrate scalable, digitally supported mobility solutions that address both climate and urban challenges. The project is currently being piloted in Lead Cities Madrid and Dresden, with replication activities in Ioannina, Espoo, Gdańsk, Trenčín and Sarajevo ensuring broader impact and transferability across Europe.
As a project partner, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum plays a key role, in coordinating communication and dissemination activities. In addition to supporting cities in developing effective local communication strategies, Steinbeis leads the creation of the project’s corporate identity and manages global communication channels, including the website, newsletter, and social media. Steinbeis also promotes partner participation in key industry and scientific events and develops communication materials (e.g., videos, infographics) to help cities beyond the consortium, as well as citizens, understand and potentially replicate the project’s mobility solutions.
Project Coordinator
Julia Vicente Gómez, CARTIF
julvic@cartif.es
Main Press Contact
Rebecca Sinai, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum
rebecca.sinai@steinbeis-europa.de
Julia Vicente Gómez, CARTIF
julvic@cartif.es
https://www.mobilities-for.eu - More information
Autonomous On-Demand Bus Madrid
Copyright: EU.Project Mobilities For EU/ ALSA Madrid
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