Autonomous shuttle trial in Gothenburg

January 2021 saw the launch of a new autonomous public transport service in Gothenburg. It concerns a trial involving autonomous electric shuttles, which carry eight passengers along a 1.8km route in the Swedish city.

The service, which is integrated in the public transport network, will serve the Lindholmen Industrial and Science park – a 4km squared former shipyard that now features offices, residential and university buildings and parking lots. The service will operate during office hours from Monday to Friday during a four-and-a-half-month period.

Transport operator Keolis, who runs the service on behalf of local public transport authority Västtrafik,  says bus passengers can use the service to connect with existing bus lines and track shuttle schedules in their travel app or on the city website. As the legislation requires, a safety operator will be present in the vehicle at all times.

The trials are part of the project 'S3' (Shared Shuttle Services), which is part of the government's collaboration program "Next generation travel and transport". The goal is to better understand how we can use self-driving technology, and how new, shared transport solutions can contribute to continued sustainable city development, for example by allowing increased density of the city and reducing the need for central parking spaces.

More information on the S3 project.