Autonomous Shuttle Service Launches in Hamburg
An autonomous vehicle is now carrying passengers in downtown Hamburg
Add Hamburg to the cities experimenting with autonomous transport. HOCHBAHN, the biggest partner within the Hamburg Public Transportation Association, providing bus, tram and rail services, has just launched HEAT: Hamburg Electric Autonomous Transportation.
It is a driverless minibus that is operating on the streets of downtown Hamburg. While it is limited to a speed of up to just 25 km/h (15.5 mph), it is operating on the streets of the second-largest city in Germany, so pedestrians are certainly in the urban mix.
Due to COVID, the autonomous electric shuttle in Hamburg is limited to three passengers at time. People can book rides via an app. (Image: HOCHBAHN)
Although this is still an R&D endeavor, it is worth noting that HOCHBAHN has developed apps for iPhones and Android phones so passengers can book rides.
HEAT is operating six days a week, for two hours at a time in both the morning and afternoon, except Friday, when it operates from 1 pm to 3 pm.
Because of coronavirus concerns, it can accommodate only three passengers at a time at the moment.
HEAT will operate until November 20, then will resume in the spring.
RELATED CONTENT
-
On Automotive: An All Electric Edition
A look at electric vehicle-related developments, from new products to recycling old batteries.
-
Ford Copies Nature
As Nature (yes, capital N Nature) has done a pretty good job of designing things, it is somewhat surprising that Man (ditto) doesn’t follow Nature’s lead more often when it comes to designing objects.
-
When Automated Production Turning is the Low-Cost Option
For the right parts, or families of parts, an automated CNC turning cell is simply the least expensive way to produce high-quality parts. Here’s why.