Autonomous bus

Wow! Where's the steering wheel?

What people are still working on with in cars has long been a reality for our electric shuttle buses: autonomous driving.

Since February 2020, our fully automated electric buses have been connecting the historic old part of Monheim with the central bus station “Monheim Mitte.” The main route also links the health campus on Alte Schulstrasse to the public transport system and runs through the historic Schelmenturm (Rogue’s Tower). And all this is part of the fully integrated scheduled service. 

Fun fact: Our five electric buses were named after sights that line the route: Alter Markt (Old Marketplace,) Doll Eck (street corner of Krummstrasse and Alte Schulstrasse), Kradepohl (the well on Kradepohl square), the Rheinbogen (Rhine Bend) and Schelmenturm (Rogue’s Tower).

 

Key facts on the autonomous electric buses | A01 route

  • 5 EasyMile EZ10 passenger shuttles 
  • 7 days a week every 10 minutes
  • Running from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and up to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday
  • Approx. 12,000 scheduled hours and 66,000 scheduled kilometers every year
  • About 2,000 passengers a month
  • Fully integrated into the scheduled operation (control center, repair shop, driver service).

Technical data of the autonomous electric buses

  • Dimensions: (L/B/H) 4020 mm / 1998 mm / 2871 mm
  • Weight: (empty/total) 2030 kg / 3030 kg
  • Speed: max. 45 km/h, limited to 18 km/h due to approval
  • Drive: four-wheel drive
  • Power output 2 x 8 kW
  • Battery capacity: 31 kWh

Go here to download the schedule of the A01 autonomous bus route (PDF file):

Download the schedule

What makes Monheim’s autonomous electric buses so special?

Safety

Around 90 percent of all road accidents are down to human error. Autonomous buses are not affected by drowsiness, distraction or carelessness, which means they help make road traffic in Monheim am Rhein safer.

Accessibility

The historic old part of Monheim am Rhein attracts both visitors and locals. The small battery-powered electric vehicles are ideal for navigating its narrow alleyways, making them easily accessible even for people with limited mobility.

100 % green power

A photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the garage housing the electric buses provides the batteries of the shuttle buses with power that’s 100 percent green.

A pioneering character

The operation of automated vehicles as part of a public transport system is unparalleled in Germany and Europe. Monheim’s e-buses are, therefore, real trailblazers and are a beacon far beyond the Rhine-Ruhr metropolis.

A high-tech experience

With our autonomous electric shuttle buses, we’re making innovative technology and the benefits of digitalization accessible to all citizens.

Scientific research

An accompanying study issued by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Research (KIT) has investigated how the automated shuttle service has been embraced by the citizens of Monheim and what experiences they have had with the new form of mobility. The results are available here (EN).

Rapid project implementation

Speed instead of bureaucracy – that was the idea behind the electric shuttle buses. A feasibility study was carried out in the summer of 2017; between 2018 and 2019, five automated shuttles were purchased from French manufacturer EasyMile and a trial run carried out. The buses have been in regular operation since 2020, covering around 5,500 kilometers a month. That’s how fast things go in Monheim am Rhein!

High level of funding

Ninety percent of the 2.1 million euros that were invested in total were covered by a funding program of the Rhine-Ruhr transport association for testing new technologies in public transport. The City of Monheim am Rhein contributed a mere 300,000 euros to the preparatory planning stage.

Funding projects that demonstrate Monheim’s innovative capacity.

SHOW Project

  • EU-funded project managed by a consortium led by UITP
  • 69 partners in 13 European countries
  • Duration: until 2024
  • Total funding: € 30 million
  • Objective: To create the conditions for establishing technical supervision through a 5G network connectivity check and to optimize the bus stop process.

Funded by: show-project.eu

SAFESTREAM Project

  • Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
  • 7 partners
  • Duration: until 2025
  • Total funding: € 10 million
  • Objective: To develop an overall system for vehicles without an operator, including vehicle platform, sensor technology, control and safety software and technical supervision.

Funded by: safestream.tech