Pilot Project for Intelligent Automated Mobility Is Progressing

(CONNECT) The Swiss Transit Lab (STL) from Schaffhausen, the cantons of Zurich and Aargau and SBB have launched the mapping phase of the intelligent automated mobility (iamo) pilot project. With the creation of a digital map of the region, the use of self-driving vehicles in the Furttal valley is being prepared, according to a press release. Before the service can be used in the Furttal, a training phase and a test phase will be carried out after mapping.

As part of the project, the project partners want to make automated vehicles available to travelers and find out how this could further develop public transport in the future. Two electric cars equipped with WeRide technology are now on the road in the Furttal for the first time. For the time being, however, these are still driven by a driver.

During the mapping phase, the roads in the pilot area are now being surveyed manually. The vehicle sensors record the surroundings and create a digital map that will contain more information than a classic navigation map. In addition to real-time images, the map will provide the basis for the safe navigation of self-driving vehicles in the future. The training and test phase will follow as soon as this phase has been completed and the exemption permit for automated driving has been granted by the Federal RoadsOffice (FEDRO). The vehicles will learn the traffic rules and typical situations in the pilot area and then drive automatically, initially under the supervision of a safety driver.

The vehicles are scheduled to go into public service in the first half of 2026. Up to four passenger coaches can then be ordered for a fee via an app and take passengers from a defined stop to another stop in the pilot region. Various measures are intended to ensure data protection and data security. The fleet is also to be expanded to include minibuses in the future. ce/nta