Holon, a subsidiary of the Benteler Group, and the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) have announced a new partnership that will aim to advance autonomous mobility in local public transport. Here, the companies aim to integrate autonomous shuttles into the RMV, signing a joint memorandum of understanding (MoU) to do so.
Their cooperation will focus on the regular exchange of knowledge between the companies as they work to overcome the challenges commonly associated with autonomous vehicle use. Together, both parties intend to complement existing transportation services by integrating autonomous vehicles into them. To this end, new connectivity standards and technologies for vehicles and infrastructures will be developed, while the partners will drive forward solutions for accessing and paying for mobility services. The vehicles will offer barrier-free accessibility to meet the needs of people with limited mobility.
For Holon, this new partnership follows the start of a pilot project in northern Germany, where it is cooperating with Hamburger Hochbahn. From 2026, several Holon vehicles will be available for integration in testing operations, subject to funding and contract placement. To this end, the MoU also covers infrastructure as well as homologation and licensing procedures.
