Tampere to conduct autonomous mobility experiment in 2022

Two self-driving minivans will transport passengers in the Hervanta area for free

At the start of 2022, the Finnish City of Tampere will carry out a two-month trial of two robotic, self-driving vehicles. The experiment will aim to gather information on the use of autonomous minivans and how they can complement public transport in the future.

For two months (January and February), Tampere’s residents will have the chance to use the vehicles for free. The minivans will transport passengers in the Hervanta area through Hervanta highway, Teekkarinkatu, Ahvenisjärventie, and Opiskelijankatu. The entire route will be 3.5 kilometres long and consist of 10 stops.

Guaranteeing safety

Naturally, many people have reservations and doubts about autonomous vehicles as they worry about what may happen in unforeseeable events. To alleviate these concerns, the City of Tampere reported that there will always be a driver who can take control of the vehicle, if necessary.

Beyond this, the tech company automating the vehicles (Sensible 4) has also conducted numerous tests in Lapland’s harsh weather conditions, ensuring that the software works even on snow-covered roads. Business Director Jussi Suomela commented on the minivans, noting:

“The vehicle’s sensors take into account pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles, and the software enables driving in snow-covered lanes and even in heavy snowfall.”

Sensible 4 conducted tests in Lapland. Source: Sensible 4 on Youtube

Hervanta test area

Business Tampere will coordinate and implement the upcoming autonomous mobility experiment in Tampere’s Hervanta test area. According to Markku Niemi from Business Tampere, the area serves as a platform where industries and scientific communities can work together to develop intelligent mobility. If the 2022 trial proves to be a success, other automated mobility experiments will undoubtedly take place in Hervanta in the future.

It is important to note that Tampere’s experiment is part of the SHOW project which has received financing from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and development programme.