Germany, on-demand services on a rise. The first autonomous shuttle fleet to be operated by DB from 2023

More and more flexible on-demand shuttles are going to support the traditional transport services in Germany. In the Rhine-Main region, Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) and Deutsche Bahn (DB), together with local partners, have been implementing Germany’s largest on-demand service.

In 2023, the first autonomous on-demand vehicles are to be put on the road in the RMV area and significantly strengthen the public transport service in the area.

Together, RMV and DB want to roll out the world’s first autonomous shuttle fleet, which is to be fully integrated into regular public transport operations. The DB technology company ioki is to supply the on-demand software and CleverShuttle, together with local partners Heag mobilo and kvgOF, is to implement the on-site operation.

On-demand services on a rise in Germany

“For many decades, the sector has had extensive and good experience with so-called line-demand services. The number of on-demand vehicles is growing. For some years now, more and more new on-demand services have been added to public transport, also thanks to digitalisation and the improved legal framework conditions for these services,” says Ingo Wortmann, President of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV).

At the beginning of 2019, there were still about a dozen of such new services. By the end of this year, there will be already four times as many, with over 80 projects, and the trend is rising. Transport companies and associations are in the process of offering new scheduled services and expanding existing services throughout Germany.

A recent industry survey by the VDV also shows that on-demand services in public transport are becoming established everywhere, even outside the major cities and conurbations: according to the survey, 47 percent of all on-demand services are operating in rural areas and small towns, 26 percent in medium-sized and large cities, 14 percent in suburban areas and 13 percent in urban areas.

Germany: plans are underway for on-demand shuttle services

“In the case of projects in rural areas, this means that there are flexible offers where there were none before. In addition, it is becoming apparent that underutilised regular services there are more likely to be converted to on-demand services with several smaller vehicles. This effectively reduces empty runs and instead serves the mobility needs of our passengers flexibly and with a high level of comfort,” says Wortmann.

VDV adds that 85 per cent of the approved on-demand services, completely new services were created to complement the existing public transport services; in about 15 per cent, the existing city and call-bus services were digitally expanded and the service areas extended. The new services are almost always and completely integrated into the public transport service and tariff structures.

On-demand services? Better if driverless

VDV Vice President and RMV Managing Director Prof. Knut Ringat says: “In the RMV, we have Germany’s largest on-demand mobility network with nine partners under the umbrella of the association. We form the bracket over the entire project with uniform tariff frameworks and transport conditions. Vehicle procurement is also bundled through the network. Above all, the shuttles can be booked via the central RMV on-demand app. This is passenger-friendly and efficient,” says Prof. Ringat. “On-demand services are highly attractive for passengers and thus offer great potential for the mobility revolution. On a large scale, however, they are only economically viable in autonomous operation. That’s why we want to test autonomous vehicles in regular operation in two regions for the first time starting next year.”

The plan is for the first vehicles in autonomous level 4 to drive through Darmstadt and the Offenbach district throughout Germany.

Together, RMV and DB want to roll out the world’s first autonomous shuttle fleet, which is to be fully integrated into regular public transport operations. The DB technology company ioki is to supply the on-demand software and CleverShuttle, together with local partners Heag mobilo and kvgOF, is to implement the on-site operation.

Dr. Jörg Sandvoß, CEO of DB Regio: “Autonomous driving on demand is an important step towards better public transport services in the area and thus more climate-friendly mobility for all people in Germany. Together with RMV, we want to put the world’s first autonomous on-demand fleet on the road in regular public transport operations as early as next year. Because only with driverless shuttles travelling at normal speed will we create a public transport system that people can board anywhere and at any time.”

Together, the DB subsidiaries DB Regio Bus, ioki and CleverShuttle are already implementing on-demand services throughout Germany. Within the last three years, DB has expanded its existing scheduled bus services with around 330 on-demand services nationwide and has already transported seven million passengers.

Johann Jungwirth, Vice President MaaS, Mobileye: “The future of mobility with self-driving vehicles contributes to more safety, sustainability and customer satisfaction. We are pleased to partner with Deutsche Bahn and RMV to demonstrate the benefits of vehicles equipped with our self-driving system in shuttle services for ride-pooling.”

VDV: financial support is necessary

VDV underlines that “On-demand services are a lever to make public transport more attractive for more people and thus to achieve the climate protection goals by 2030. But without additional financial resources, they cannot be operated economically in the coming years”.

“The expansion of on-demand transport can contribute to the creation of equal living conditions in urban and rural areas and to the achievement of climate protection goals in the transport sector. However, the public transport performance cost report by Roland Berger on behalf of the VDV has also clearly shown that the financial requirements for the expansion of services are high: by 2030, we would need around an additional 3.8 billion euros to enable on-demand transport to operate in regular service throughout Germany. The legal framework offers clear prerequisites and is being successfully implemented by the industry. What is still missing are the financial prerequisites to be able to operate the new services on a sustainable basis,” concluded VDV Executive Director Oliver Wolff.