Research project: Combined passenger and goods transportation in automated shuttles (TaBuLaLOG)

Research area: Mobile robotics, autonomous driving, delivery robots

Funded by: Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure

In cooperation with: Institute for Transport Planning (TUHH), District of Herzogtum Lauenburg

Associated partners: Büro autoBus, Siemens Mobility GmbH, Stadt Lauenburg/Elbe, Versorgungsbtriebe Elbe GmbH, Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein GmbH, LaLog Landlogistik

Funding: €1.99 million (of which €1.79 million was funded by the BMVI)

Funding reference number: 01MM19013

Funding guideline: Research program for automation and networking in road transport (AVF) of the BMVI

Start of the project: 01/2020

End of the project: 12/2021

In the research landscape, it has long been customary to distinguish between the mobility of people and that of goods and to consider them separately. However, in order to develop a future-proof and sustainable mobility system, a paradigm shift must take place that strengthens and considers a combination of passenger and goods mobility.

The aim of the TaBuLa-LOG project was therefore to integrate the transportation of goods into the existing, real and automated bus operation of the TaBuLa project in the public space of the town of Lauenburg/Elbe.

The integration of goods transportation into the local public transport system of the bus shuttle was developed and tested in three consecutive test scenarios. An automated transport robot platform, which was developed specifically for this use case as part of this project (LAURA), serves as an interface for handing over the goods.

The effects of these scenarios were evaluated in order to derive possible further areas of application as well as recommendations for action for municipal organizations, transport companies and technology manufacturers.