A milestone for Hamburg’s public transport future! The HOLON urban autonomous vehicle is now hitting the roads as part of the ALIKE project. Vehicle manufacturer HOLON has received approval from the Federal Motor Transport Authority in accordance with §16 AFGBV for the HOLON urban autonomous shuttle. This means that nationwide test drives in autonomous driving mode (AD) with safety drivers are now possible. Autonomous driving will commence in Hamburg as part of the ALIKE project. This marks an important step towards autonomous mobility in public transport for Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HOCHBAHN) and its partners.
Dr Flavio Friesen, Vice President Engineering at HOLON: “The nationwide approval for testing our autonomous Level 4 shuttle is a milestone for the introduction of autonomous mobility – and a huge accolade for HOLON. The KBA’s approval paves the way for autonomous transport solutions in Germany and shows that our vehicle system is convincing both technically and regulatory. We are taking great strides towards a new era of mobility.”
Robert Henrich, CEO of HOCHBAHN: ‘The approval sends a strong signal for public transport: autonomous minibuses are moving from the test site to real city traffic. Now we are bringing autonomous driving to the streets – with a clear focus on safety, inclusion and tangible customer benefits.’
Launch in Hamburg: Real-world testing for public transport
As part of the ALIKE project, the HOLON shuttle will operate in an area of approximately 37 square kilometres in the heart of Hamburg. The vehicle will drive completely autonomously, with a safety driver monitoring the journey. Development engineers will accompany the journeys in order to continuously improve the systems. The aim is to gradually transfer autonomous operation into public transport practice and to gain insights for later passenger operation. The first autonomous passenger journeys with the HOLON urban are planned for the second half of 2026.
The HOLON urban is a fully electric and autonomous vehicle for use on public roads. It is one of the world’s first shuttles to meet automotive standards – leading the way in terms of safety, ride comfort and production quality. The vehicle reaches a top speed of 60 kilometres per hour and can accommodate up to 15 passengers. The HOLON urban is barrier-free and features an automated ramp, a secure wheelchair space, and auditory and visual assistance for passengers.
The nationwide test permit in accordance with AFGBV is valid until the end of 2026 (with an option to extend). It allows test drives on federal, state and district roads in Germany; motorways are currently excluded. This means that the systems can be validated in a variety of environments, from metropolitan areas to rural areas.
The ALIKE project is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport with €26 million.
We reported on HOLON here:
