Busitalia and Qbuzz at Innotrans 2024: the autonomous bus revolution

Berlin, 26th September 2024

Busitalia, part of the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane group, is a sub-holding responsible for road mobility services in Italy and the Netherlands. The core business of Busitalia is public transport, with an intermodal approach that perfectly integrates the railway network, both in urban centers and in suburban areas. Operating in several Italian regions, including Umbria, Veneto, and Campania, Busitalia manages a wide range of services, including urban buses, trams, light metros, and navigation services. Internationally, Busitalia operates in the Netherlands through Qbuzz, establishing itself as a key player at the European level. The company is also committed to an ambitious fleet renewal plan, with over 1,100 new buses arriving by the end of 2024, while experimenting with innovative solutions such as hydrogen-powered buses.

Qbuzz, acquired by Busitalia in 2017, manages public transport in the Netherlands, covering the areas of Utrecht, Groningen-Drenthe, and Drechtsteden. The company is a pioneer in the transition to zero-emission mobility, with a fleet of 278 electric buses and 30 hydrogen-powered buses. Thanks to real-time vehicle monitoring, Qbuzz is able to improve operational efficiency and prevent technical issues, offering high-quality service. Qbuzz's goal is to completely eliminate diesel vehicles by 2030, in line with Dutch regulations that ban the purchase of diesel buses from 2025. The company continues to innovate with projects like the autonomous depot in Groningen, that is an important example of how automation and can be integrated into the public transport system to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs, contributing to sustainability goals.showcasing how automation can enhance the management and sustainability of daily operations.

Qbuzz operates in several regions in the Netherlands, managing a fleet of over 1,500 buses, a significant portion of which are already emission-free. Specifically:

• 437 buses in the Groningen-Drenthe region, of which 194 are zero-emission.
  
• 304 buses in the Utrecht region, of which 69 are zero-emission, in addition to 44 trams.
• 161 buses in the DMG region, of which 43 are zero-emission.

Busitalia, in collaboration with Qbuzz, is among the key players at InnoTrans 2024, the leading international trade fair dedicated to railway transport and innovative mobility, held in Berlin from September 24 to 27. At the heart of Busitalia and Qbuzz's participation is the presentation of the autonomous bus, one of the most advanced technologies set to revolutionize public transport.

The autonomous bus has been developed to address several key challenges in the transport sector, including the shortage of drivers, the increase in mobility demand, and the need to reduce operational costs. Based on a low-cost retrofit autopilot kit, the bus uses cutting-edge technologies, including high-reliability sensors and a drive-by-wire control system. These solutions enable safe and flexible vehicle management, ensuring continuous service even in areas and time slots where traditional public transport is less sustainable.

The advantages of this technology include: reduced operational costs thanks to increased service hours with lower management expenses; addressing the driver shortage by supporting existing bus fleets and optimizing human resource allocation; and contributing to road safety, with autonomous systems minimizing human error.

Among the key success stories presented at InnoTrans 2024 is the experience of Qbuzz, a public transport operator in the Netherlands and part of the Busitalia group, which successfully implemented the first autonomous bus depot in the city of Groningen. This automated depot enables safe and human-free operations, such as washing, refueling, and parking of vehicles. This reduces the risk of accidents and frees up space for additional infrastructure, such as charging stations for electric buses.

Participation in InnoTrans 2024 is an integral part of Busitalia and Qbuzz's strategy to be at the forefront of automated mobility. The goal is to develop solutions that enable the integration of autonomous transport into existing public transport services by 2040, improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Projects like the Groningen depot and dedicated lane tests in Northern Holland demonstrate the practical feasibility of these technologies and their ability to meet the mobility needs of tomorrow.

InnoTrans 2024 offers a unique opportunity to explore these innovations up close and engage in dialogue about the future of public transport, where autonomous driving and vehicle electrification will be central to building more sustainable and connected cities.