Berlin/Kelheim, 24 September 2024 – The KelRide project, led by EasyMile in collaboration with TÜV Rheinland, Via, P3 Group, the Kelheim district, and the Technical University of Berlin, has been successfully completed. The project marks the first and largest integration of highly automated and conventional vehicles into the public transport network in Germany.
Running from April 2021 to June 2024, the KelRide project aimed to improve the weather resilience of highly automated vehicles and ensure their reliable operation. The operational area covered a 30-kilometre road network – the largest operational area of a highly automated fleet in Europe to date.
The project partners focused on two key challenges of autonomous driving: the first being the safe functionality of the technology under (almost) all weather conditions. Adverse weather such as heavy snowfall, rain, or fog had previously limited the effectiveness of autonomous vehicles. To overcome these challenges, the consortium developed and tested improved sensor technologies and adaptive software solutions, receiving approval for public use. The highly automated vehicles clocked a total of 5,173 operational hours, 2,000 of which were in adverse weather conditions, highlighting the resilience of the developed technologies. The second focus was on the integration of highly automated vehicles into a mixed fleet with conventionally operated vehicles – a first in the field.
Arwed Schmidt, Managing Director of EasyMile Germany, commented: “The KelRide project was a significant milestone for EasyMile. We successfully carried out our largest deployment and further developed our all-weather capabilities. KelRide also provided us with valuable insights into the operation of a large-scale highly automated shuttle service. These learnings will help us further improve our technology. Our commitment to innovation and progress in autonomous driving remains unwavering. We thank all partners and stakeholders for their successful collaboration in this pioneering project.”
During the 18-month trial period, users in the Kelheim district were able to book five highly automated vehicles on demand as part of the public transport system. The service area covered around 4,500 people, who benefited from the enhanced mobility options. In total, over 14,000 unique registrations were recorded in the KEXI service, and more than 90,000 passengers were transported in the combined service since July 2021. The fleet demonstrated technical efficiency and reliability, particularly during the winter months. It is particularly noteworthy that the entire operational period was accident-free, underscoring the reliability and safety of the system.
Xanthi Doubara, Managing Director of Via Germany, said: “Our work on the KelRide project shows the potential of autonomous on-demand services to expand access to equitable, efficient, and flexible mobility. We are proud that our software is already being successfully deployed in more than 45 services across Germany, improving public transport in communities of all sizes.”
As part of the KelRide project, TÜV Rheinland was able to explore and apply the necessary testing methods within the approval process for highly automated vehicles. In addition to investigating the requirements and evidence related to adverse weather conditions, new evaluation methods for the extensive road network were developed.
“In the KelRide project, together with the project partners, we were able to demonstrate that we can account for all operational conditions during vehicle inspections. The risk analyses we conducted for the large operational area also contributed to the successful approval of the vehicles,” said Rico Barth, Global Business Segment Leader for Highly Automated Systems, expressing satisfaction with the project’s success.
The Technical University of Berlin simulated the mobility behaviour in Kelheim and, using the activity-based traffic simulation software MATSim, examined the impact of different configurations of the highly automated service on demand, the transport system, and its environmental impact.
Professor Dr Kai Nagel, Head of Transport Systems Planning and Telematics at TU Berlin, noted: “In the KelRide project, we successfully demonstrated that agent-based traffic simulations can significantly contribute to a meaningful, sustainable, and user-oriented design of transport systems by serving as a decision-support tool. The insights gained will contribute to the further development of our simulation environment and academic teaching.”
The P3 Group brought its expertise in project management, cost analysis, and organisational design to ensure timely delivery and sustainable project success. Their work also included developing a business case and usage concept as a blueprint for other communities to ensure the scalability of the project across Europe.
Marco Dargel, Partner and Head of Autonomous Driving at P3, said: “Our utilisation concept and the economic transparency we have created show what is key to scaling autonomous ride-pooling projects in Europe. These unique insights will help accelerate the implementation of new services. These findings are not only available in a structured form, but the network we have established with the most innovative municipalities ensures direct transfer. For vehicle and software providers, P3 has also identified the development goals required for the successful future implementation of these services.”
The Kelheim district supported the development and implementation of the project and aligned it with local objectives to optimise public transport and reduce private vehicle use, thereby increasing access to public transport.
District Administrator Martin Neumeyer stated: “We are proud that with KelRide, we have been able to establish Germany’s largest real-world laboratory for the advancement of autonomous mobility. The insights gained during the real-world operation provide a solid foundation for the development of a future-proof Level 4 autonomous operation.”
The KelRide project was funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport with €10.9 million. Through extensive testing and the insights gained, the project has provided valuable knowledge about the benefits and acceptance of autonomous on-demand transport. These findings are crucial for the further development of autonomous vehicle technology in public transport and provide a solid foundation for future projects and innovations in this field.
