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Das automatisierte HEAT-Fahrzeug biegt in der Speicherstadt ab

The HEAT project

The future is self-driving

AND THIS IS HOW THE HOCHBAHN HEAT RESEARCH PROJECT IN HAMBURG’S HAFENCITY WENT

As trailblazers in the City, we aim to keep Hamburg moving in ever more flexible ways. That’s what we did 100 years ago with the first U-Bahn, today it’s with electrobuses. And tomorrow? We are still boldly taking up the challenge. That’s why we ran trials of the new self-driving technology in our research and development project HEAT (Hamburg Electric Autonomous Transportation) from 2019 to October 2021.

The idea: together with our partners from business and science, HOCHBAHN investigated whether self-driving minibuses might be a useful complement to the public transport options in future. For instance where it doesn’t make economic sense to operate full-size vehicles – in the suburbs or at off-peak times.   

Automated travel with passengers – at the ITS World Congress too

The project was among the first worldwide to realize driverless operation in public transport on a defined route with a vehicle assistant who doesn’t actually drive. Passengers were able to take a seat on board for the first time in October 2020 for an automated ride through the HafenCity at speeds up to 25 km/h. From summer 2021 up to the completion of the project, HEAT ran with passengers on the final route of 1.8 kilometres with five stops. The project was accompanied by a whole range of passenger surveys. These aimed to record accurately the needs people had when using a self-driving transport system, but also possible barriers to its acceptance.   

As one of the highlights of the project, HEAT was also presented to a global public at the ITS World Congress on smart mobility in Hamburg in October 2021.