Autonomous Mini Bus HEAT passes initial trial phase with success
The research and development project HEAT, a collaboration between Hamburg Verkehrsanlagen and Siemens, has successfully completed its first phase. The project, which focuses on developing an autonomous minibus for public transportation, has generated significant regional interest, showcasing Hamburg's commitment to pioneering transport innovation.
In the first test phase, the project's primary focus was on the accuracy of the vehicle's localization, its reaction to obstacles, and the behavior of the infrastructure. The autonomous minibus was tested on a predefined route in HafenCity without passengers and with a vehicle escort. The test drives in daily traffic were challenging but necessary, according to Natalie Rodriguez, overall project manager at Hochbahn.
Based on this evaluation, the vehicle, sensors, and infrastructure will be further developed. The next milestone of the project involves upgrading the hardware and software. Hamburg Verkehrsanlagen and Siemens plan to expand the roadside infrastructure of the planned extended route section. However, the search results do not provide information about which company is involved in the expansion of the side infrastructure of the planned extended route section of HEAT.
A second test phase is planned for spring 2020, before passengers will be on board for the first time in the middle of the year. This phase will provide valuable insights into the minibus's performance in real-world conditions, paving the way towards fully autonomous operation. By the ITS World Congress in October 2021, a permit for automated driving without a vehicle escort is targeted.
The goal is to achieve fully autonomous operation by the ITS World Congress 2021. In the coming months, a comprehensive evaluation of the recorded data will take place. The enormous regional interest in HEAT underscores the project's potential to revolutionise public transportation in Hamburg and beyond.
For more information about the HEAT project, visit Hochbahn's website at www.hochbahn.de, the Hamburg Department of Transport and Mobility Innovation's website at www.hamburg.de/bwvi/its, or the ITS World Congress 2021's website at www.its2021.hamburg.
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