One of ERTICO’s largest and most ambitious CCAM projects, SHOW, has successfully concluded after over four and a half years of groundbreaking work. This project stands as Europe’s current most comprehensive urban demonstration of real-life automated mobility solutions to date, delivering a wealth of technological innovations, business models, and findings that will significantly impact the future of urban mobility.
The SHOW project brought together 66 partners across several European cities and deployed more than 80 automated vehicles, from shuttles to robotaxis, to test and refine these solutions in real-world environments. A key focus of the project was user acceptance and stakeholder engagement, aiming to establish a solid foundation for widespread adoption and long-term deployment of automated urban transport systems.
Transforming urban mobility with automated, electrified fleets
The project responds to the European Commission’s call to develop and test shared, connected, and cooperative automated vehicle fleets in urban areas to enable seamless, door-to-door mobility and freight delivery in a way that is more efficient, sustainable, safe, and inclusive.
SHOW’s journey began in January 2020, with the COVID019 pandemic bringing unexpected challenges for the coordination of a large consortium of 70 partners spread across Europe. Despite this challenging start, the collaboration among the extensive consortium — managed by UITP (the project coordinator), ERTICO, CERTH, Eurocities, and VTI — proved instrumental in driving progress and fostering innovation throughout the project.
Real-life demonstrations became central to SHOW’s efforts, generating invaluable data and insights from users that informed the development of adaptive business models and robust technology solutions. With 22 pilot sites and a diverse fleet of vehicles — including shuttles, buses, and robotaxis — under assessment, the project accumulated lessons to guide future deployment.
ERTICO’s commitment to advancing urban mobility through SHOW
As urban populations grow, there is an increasing need for mobility in cities to be multimodal, flexible, and responsive to users’ needs. Connected, Cooperative, and Automated Mobility (CCAM) technologies and services are essential to achieving this vision. By participating in various EU-funded projects on these themes, ERTICO is working actively to advance ITS in urban transportation.
As a partner of the SHOW project, ERTICO is accelerating its roadmap toward fully adaptable, personalized mobility solutions for all, aligning closely with the European Union’s goals for sustainable and inclusive urban transport.
Dr Nikolaos Tsampieris, ERTICO’s Head of Transport and Logistics and Dissemination Leader for the SHOW project, spearheaded engagement with the project’s Advisory Board, a group of international experts who contributed to critical outcomes such as standardisation practices and industry best practices. Additionally, the organization of three ideathons and a hackathon under ERTICO’s leadership provided a platform for creative problem-solving and innovation, drawing insights and ideas from diverse stakeholders. Additionally, ERTICO and EPF collaborated with Open Summer of Code in Brussels, where students designed a “mobility hub of the future,” focusing on accessibility, efficiency, and sustainability. These events were crucial for fostering collaboration, generating innovative solutions, and ensuring that the future of automated mobility remains adaptable and inclusive.
“It has been a privilege to lead the dissemination efforts for the SHOW project. Engaging with diverse stakeholders and raising awareness about the transformative potential of automated urban mobility has been essential in driving both public acceptance and industry collaboration. The success of SHOW lies not only in its technological innovations but in the partnerships and dialogues we’ve built along the way, ensuring that the future of mobility is inclusive, adaptable, and ready to meet the evolving needs of our cities”, says Dr Tsampieris.
SHOW pilots: breaking records and raising the bar
SHOW pilots have successfully demonstrated various use cases in over 20 European cities, tackling challenges and deploying innovative solutions to enhance urban mobility. The Tampere pilot exemplified this with its vehicles operating in temperatures as low as -20°C, proving that automated mobility is feasible even under snowy, icy or extremely cold conditions. SHOW aims to move people more efficiently and sustainably, and the successful integration of tested vehicles into urban transport systems is evident in pilots like Monheim and Linköping, which transported 52,862 and 13,359 passengers, respectively, during their demonstration periods.
The transportation of goods has also been a key focus of the project. The Trikala pilot demonstrated innovative, green solutions by using robot taxis to deliver small packages in pedestrian areas, helping to reduce congestion. This innovation attracted interest from local stakeholders, who are now exploring additional functionalities. However, to fully integrate these vehicles into city transport networks, the regulatory framework needs to be updated.
User acceptance has been another pivotal aspect. The pilot in Carinthia, Austria, excelled at community engagement through activities like ideathons and a dedicated day to showcase the benefits of automated mobility to children and parents.
These are just a few examples of the achievements of SHOW pilots, setting a high standard for future deployments.
The Journey Continues: A legacy for future mobility
From the outset, the SHOW project was envisioned as a flagship initiative to drive forward the adoption of automated mobility systems. While the project may have concluded, its legacy will continue to shape the future of urban transport. The findings, technological advances, and policy recommendations developed through SHOW are set to further automated mobility deployments in other regions and cities across the world.
Additionally, the project fostered international cooperation, engaging with key countries such as Japan, China, the US, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan to ensure that the lessons learned are shared globally. This global collaboration ensures that the project’s learnings can benefit urban mobility development worldwide.
The project is creating a legacy through a range of valuable resources, including deliverables, technical publications, and training materials designed to ensure its long-term impact. Additionally, each pilot site has developed a roadmap for extending and sustaining the operations tested during the project. Through these efforts, SHOW aims to drive a meaningful, lasting impact, positioning Europe at the forefront of seamless and integrated automated urban mobility.
There is still a need for further large-scale demonstrations in close collaboration with cities, ensuring that CCAM technologies effectively meet urban needs. Through projects like MetCCAZE, ERTICO continues validating CCAM technology and showcasing its societal benefits, building trust and understanding around automated mobility solutions.
Sharing lessons learned and best practices from SHOW and similar projects is crucial to empowering city authorities and public transport operators (PTOs) with the knowledge and capacity to implement shared automated mobility services effectively. Insights from SHOW will be integrated into the EU-wide Knowledge Base maintained by the ERTICO-coordinated project FAME, creating a valuable resource for future deployments across Europe.
The SHOW project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 875530.
