The autonomous bus from the Centro Tecnológico de Automoción de Galicia (CTAG), also known as the ‘Shuttle’, is a fully electric vehicle that has been specially developed for short distances and the so-called ‘last mile’. The CTAG is a private technology centre in Porriño in the Galicia region of north-western Spain, which also finances individual projects through grants. The aim is to combine research and practice in order to open up new avenues in public transport.
The ‘Shuttle’, which can accommodate around twelve passengers and has an operating time of up to eleven hours, is particularly suitable for use in city centres, university campuses, parks or tourist areas where conventional buses would be less efficient. The Shuttle can reach speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour and is capable of accelerating, braking and cornering independently. It also recognises pedestrians, bicycles, traffic lights and other traffic situations and reacts accordingly.
The development of the vehicle is part of CTAG’s strategy to create new solutions for connected, safe and sustainable mobility. The centre is working with various partners such as universities, public authorities and companies. In addition to vehicle technology, the focus is also on topics such as cyber security, communication between vehicles and infrastructure, and the integration of new network technologies. In various pilot projects, including in Arteixo, on the campus of the University of Vigo, in Seville and even in Dubai, more than 4,000 kilometres have already been covered autonomously and over 4,500 passengers have been transported.
A current example of practical application is a pilot project in Madrid: since 15 September and until 24 October 2025, the shuttle has been operating in Casa de Campo on a route approximately 1.8 kilometres long with six stops. Passengers can use the vehicle between 12 noon and 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The aim of the project is to test the technology in a real-world environment and demonstrate how an autonomous shuttle can meaningfully complement existing mobility services. The municipal EMT Madrid is supporting the demonstration project.
The opportunities offered by this technology are manifold – other providers of such solutions have already demonstrated this. The CTAG shuttle not only offers emission-free travel, but also improves access to locations that were previously difficult to reach by public transport. It can be used flexibly and enables new services such as on-demand routes. At the same time, as with other mini and midi buses with autonomous driving components, there are of course special challenges and requirements: the technology must function reliably even in complex traffic situations, legal framework conditions such as licensing and liability have not yet been fully clarified, and the necessary infrastructure, such as networked traffic lights or stable 5G networks, still needs to be set up in many places. Equally important is acceptance by the population, who must have confidence in the safety and reliability of the vehicles. The CTAG shuttle offers an interesting starting point here and is currently proving its operational suitability in fairly dense traffic with occasional heavy pedestrian traffic during its test run in Madrid.
