The European Commission (EC), through the 7th Framework, has chosen Donostia/San Sebastián as the area to demonstrate automated passenger vehicles.
Following similar demonstrations in other European cities such as Lausanne (Switzerland), La Rochelle (France) and Trikala (Greece), the EC has selected Donostia/San Sebastian to operate an automated bus for three months, that will run Gipuzkoa Science and Technology Park and it will be the first demonstration not only in Euskadi but also in Spain.
The selection is part of the CityMobil2 European Project, the objective of which is to experiment and to understand how automated vehicles can be integrated into urban environments and in realistic situations.
Novadays Consultancy and TECNALIA, a Centre for Research and Innovation, are project leaders in Spain; they have promoted the candidacy of Gipuzkoa Science and Technology Park to pilot the initiative due to its innovative environment and complete equipment with the necessary resources to operate an advanced transport system.
The implementation of these automated vehicles in the technology park should not be a challenge due to its specific location and its commitment to sustainable mobility over many years, which has seen the park implement measures to find efficient ways to commute.
The Council of Donostia/San Sebastián strongly supports the experience and will adapt the existing infrastructure of the park for the optimal operation of the automated bus. This initiative is aligned with the innovation strategy of the Council in the fields of urban mobility and clean and sustainable transport.
The electric automated vehicle, with a capacity of 12 people, will offer a last-mile mode transport service to businesses within the park, thus connecting the automated buses with the conventional urban public transport system, which currently only goes as far as the edge of the Park. The CityMobil2 demonstration is planned to begin in Donostia–San Sebastián in spring this year and will run at the Gipuzkoa Science and Technology Park until the end of June.
Original source: Tecnalia
