“Bringing the future on the road” is the motto of this year’s mobility move. The 15th VDV electric bus conference and exhibition will take place in Berlin from March 5 to 7. This year’s event will focus on the topics of autonomous driving, digitalization, fire safety and refuelling and charging infrastructure – with the electric bus taking center stage. In keeping with this, MAN Truck & Bus will be showcasing the fully electric city bus from the “BeIntelli” automation project at its stand and talking about eMobility as well as autonomous driving in the city bus sector.
“Our eBus, which we are exhibiting at mobility move, is a perfect fit for the event. After all, we are presenting two strategic future fields in one: electromobility and automation,” says Darko Simeunovic, Head of Sales Bus at MAN Truck & Bus Germany, adding: “The MAN Lion’s City E will soon be driving automated through Berlin’s city center as part of BeIntelli. The pilot project will therefore certainly provide plenty to talk about and discuss at the event.”
BeIntelli: Automated MAN electric bus soon on the road in Berlin
MAN is implementing the “BeIntelli” project together with the DAI-Labor at the Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) and IAV GmbH Ingenieurgesellschaft Auto und Verkehr, which is taking place as part of ZEKI | Zentrum für Erlebbare KI und Digitalisierung (Center of Tangible AI and Digitalization). The aim is to make it possible to experience an intelligent traffic system with automated vehicles. The MAN Lion’s City 12 E is equipped with an Automated Driving System (ADS) from ZEKI with around 50 sensors (cameras, ultrasound, radar, 3D lidar) that monitor traffic and the traffic area. Screens and other communication components have also been installed in the “explanatory bus” so that driving skills, decisions and technologies can be visualized and explained to passengers. It is currently still undergoing test drives in non-public areas. The urban test area, in which the automated bus will operate with a safety driver on board from the spring, stretches from the Brandenburger Tor to Ernst-Reuter-Platz, Gedächtniskirche and Adenauerplatz. Equipped with state-of-the-art sensor technology, it represents a completely digitalized route. With an interactive bus stop for digitized public transport and further infrastructure for the automated vehicle fleet, “BeIntelli” presents and explains the current state of research.
“Whether automated driving, emission-free drives or digitalization – the technological change in the transport and logistics industry has clearly picked up speed. We have strategically set the course to continue driving this change. In this way and with pioneering solutions, we are heading resolutely towards the future,” explains Heinz Kiess, Head of Product Marketing Bus at MAN Truck & Bus. “As a strong brand within the TRATON GROUP and the Volkswagen Group, we at MAN benefit greatly from the synergies within the Group in our consistent focus on future fields.”
Presentations and discussions by and with MAN experts
Jana Kirchen, Product Strategy Manager Automation at MAN Truck & Bus, will provide concrete insights into the world of autonomous driving and intelligent driver assistance systems in the panel discussion “Are there niches for Level 2+?” on March 7, 2024 at 9 am. Mustafa Tasaltin, SVP Engineering, Product and Project Management Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, will address the topic of eMobility in his presentation “News from Vehicle Technology & Systems” on March 6, 2024 at 1:30 pm.
The experts from MAN Transport Solutions and MAN DigitalServices will also be represented at the MAN stand at mobility move. Since 2018, the MAN Transport Solutions team has been offering customers in many industries support in converting their fleets to zero-emission vehicles (ZEV). The entire conversion process is considered with a 360° analysis. The aim is to ensure a successful transition to electromobility with as little effort as possible for operators. With the solutions from MAN DigitalServices, customers benefit from digital fleet management and thus optimize the efficiency of the entire fleet. They are offered a comprehensive range of telematics and fleet management services as well as digital solutions in the area of eMobility/Charging & Battery. In addition, the digital portfolio of services is being continuously expanded, with MAN’s main focus being on aligning the existing portfolio even more closely with the topic of eMobility. “Mobility today must be social, sustainable, ecological and economical. With our buses, but also with our digital solutions, we are making an important contribution to meeting the challenges in terms of emissions, traffic volume and affordable mobility for all,” Kiess makes clear.
Bus drivers take center stage
The “Favorite Bus Driver” competition will also be launched at mobility move. The initiative of DB Regio, passenger association PRO Bahn, the Federal Association of German Bus Companies (bdo, Bundesverband Deutscher Omnibusunternehmen e.V.) and the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV, Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen) is taking place for the second time and puts the focus of the industry on dedicated female and male drivers. Last year, around 2,300 entries were received from passengers who submitted their favorite bus drivers. MAN Truck & Bus is supporting the competition again this year. At the kick-off event at mobility move on March 6, an eye-catching MAN eBus will be in the spotlight.
SOURCE: MAN Truck & Bus
