High acceptance and potential of autonomous shuttles as an opportunity for local public transport

Transportation experts at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have demonstrated that autonomous shuttles offer great potential for public transport, enabling completely new and flexible services, especially in suburban and rural areas.

In their research project RABus, self-driving minibuses were on the roads in the German cities of Mannheim and Friedrichshafen for months. The project tested their performance in road traffic, their public acceptance, and the possible effects of a large shuttle fleet on traffic.

“Users are open-minded and have a very positive attitude toward the new technology if it’s safe and it’s explained well,” said Martin Kagerbauer from KIT’s Institute for Transport Studies (IFV). In its RABus project (RABus stands for “Reality lab for Automated Bus operations for urban and rural public transport”), Kagerbauer’s team conducted comprehensive surveys showing that there is not only wide acceptance for but also great interest in using autonomous shuttles among all population groups. “We were able to show that doubts can be overcome by talking about and demonstrating the technology.”

Successful tests under realistic conditions

Starting in October 2024, two autonomous shuttles operated in road traffic in each of the test regions (Mannheim and Friedrichshafen). The vehicles took more than 1,600 passengers on about 430 trips, traveling safely and reliably over 2,100 kilometers in automated mode, even in poor weather and heavy traffic. They drove at up to 50 kilometers per hour, a speed not previously reached by shuttles in comparable projects elsewhere in Germany.

“With the RABus project, we’ve shown that autonomous driving in public transport isn’t just a promise of the future. People can experience it now,” said Winfried Hermann, Transport Minister of Baden-Württemberg. “Our feedback shows that when people have experienced automated mobility themselves, they gain confidence in its technology.

“With this project, Baden-Württemberg has underscored its role as a place where innovative mobility solutions are designed and tested. This is a strong signal for the future of public transport, especially in rural areas. Our goal is to shift automated service from test mode to everyday operation, making modern mobility available to all.”

The researchers used simulations to find regions where everyday operation would be especially useful in the future. “We found promising areas in nearly every community in Baden-Württemberg. Having shuttles as a supplement would win new passengers by making existing local public transport much more attractive,” Kagerbauer said.

The vehicles will continue to be used for test purposes in Friedrichshafen even after the end of the project, ensuring that the knowledge gained during the project can be used for further improvement of autonomous driving.