Driverless bus delivered to Schaffhausen

The Schaffhausen-based association Swiss Transit Lab (STL) has taken delivery of its first automated vehicle for the STL Line 13 pilot project. The commercially available Toyota Proace Verso Electric minibus has been upgraded with autonomous driving technology developed by the Finnish company Sensible 4 and transferred to Switzerland, further details of which can be found in a press release. The vehicle will be used as part of the regular public transport service in the center of Schaffhausen from late fall onwards.

In the coming weeks, the bus will be prepared for the launch of the STL Line 13 pilot project and tested on the test route in the center of Schaffhausen between the train station and the newly developed Stahlgiessere area. The pilot project from late autumn aims to provide key insights and experiences in relation to driverless vehicles in the public transport arena. The focus is on “the development and use of the service right up to the front door in close cooperation with passenger needs”.

The bus is equipped with sensor and actuator technology for automated driving from the Finnish company Sensible 4. The start-up has already “successfully carried out pilot tests in Norway, Finland and Japan”. The vehicle is operated on behalf of STL by the Schaffhausen-based transport company Weder Transport and will be used by passengers in the concession area of the Schaffhausen public transport authority (vbsh).

“The STL Line 13 pilot project, which is due to start in the near future, will set new standards and facilitate exciting mobility projects in the future”, comments Dirk Apel, Vice-President of Swiss Transit Lab, in the press release.

STL is an initiative and association of private companies and public transport authorities. Since 2017, it has been developing a research and development platform for the mobility solutions of tomorrow under real-world conditions.