In the EU, transport is responsible for roughly 25% of the climate emissions. Achieving zero emission mobility is therefore a critical and necessary objective of EU climate policy. In addition to the material climate impact, the ever-increasing number of vehicles on our roads has led to a drastic increase in congestion and air pollution. Resolving these challenges requires more than electrification of the vehicle fleet; the number of vehicles needs to be reduced, and the efficiency of how they are used improved.

Reliable and convenient urban mobility is integral to encouraging citizens to give up personal vehicles and adopt more sustainable modes of transport, helping to ease congestion and allowing road networks to function as they were designed. But while automation is already widely recognized to have positive impacts regarding road safety, the overall link to the environment is less clear.

In theory, automation should make mobility more efficient; better routing and more economical driving would reduce journey times, lowering congestion, reducing journey times still further, and so on. Jeven’s Paradox however suggests that as travelling becomes more efficient, the overall consumption of travel would increase, as people find travel more convenient and enjoyable, and so travel more frequently and over longer distances – thereby offsetting the potential efficiency-driven emission improvements. Thus, while automation can serve to support a shift to more convenient and reliable public transportation, decarbonization of the remaining vehicle fleet is critical to achieving climate targets.

The state of automated public transport

Europe has long been a pioneer in automated public transportation. The first automated metro line in the continent was launched in 1983 in the French city of Lille. Since then, many European cities have followed suit, including Paris, Lyon and Marseille in France, Nuremberg in Germany and most recently Thessaloniki in Greece, which inaugurated a fully driverless metro system in November 2024[1].

Despite these advancements, the deployment of automated public buses and other forms of transportation in the EU has lagged. However, in recent years we have begun to see the emergence of a limited number of commercial pilots. They explore the role of automated public transport as both an on-demand service and a first-and-last-mile and mobility gap filler[2] designed to offset the need for car ownership.

• Frankfurt: Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt (VGF), the municipal transport operator, has partnered with EasyMile, (Electric Autonomous Shuttle for You) initiative in the Rhine-Main region, which explores how self-driving vehicles can be integrated into public transport systems. The EASY-Shuttle operates in Frankfurt-Riederwald, offering free, on-demand rides to passengers. Users can book the shuttle as needed, providing flexible transportation options within the community. This initiative addresses the first-and-last-mile transportation challenge, making it more convenient for residents to access essential services without relying on personal vehicles. The initiative is part of a broader series of autonomous shuttle projects in Germany. For instance, the KelRide project in the Kelheim district has expanded to a 30-kilometer network, making it Europe’s largest connected operating area for autonomous shuttles. Similarly, Monheim am Rhein has integrated autonomous shuttles into its public transport system, enhancing connectivity between the city centre and the old town
• FABULOS: between 2020 and 2021 the EU funded FABULOS project piloted first-and-last-mile automated bus systems in five European cities: Helsinki (Finland), Tallinn (Estonia), Gjesdal (Norway), Lamia (Greece), and Helmond (Netherlands). The project successfully tested three different bus solutions, taking a total of 2,807 passengers an arrogate 14,000km[3].
• Vilnius, Lithuania: In 2024, an automated bus pilot project was trialed to explore the integration of autonomous vehicles into the city’s existing public transport network[4]. The bus ran along a four-kilometer route, stopping automatically at designated stops. The project was trialed for two months and funded as part of the European Union’s “Interreg Europe” project EMBRACER[5].
• ULTIMO: Scheduled to commence in 2025, the ULTIMO project plans to introduce 45 driverless electric minibuses across Geneva (Switzerland), Oslo (Norway), and Kronach (Germany). These services will offer 24/7 on-demand, door-to-door transportation, aiming to enhance urban mobility and reduce congestion

Challenges and future outlook

Despite significant advancements, deployment of automated public transport in the EU is still nascent and several challenges hinder the widespread adoption. A 2023 report highlighted key barriers, including high vehicle costs, the requirement for onboard attendants, and limited operational speeds as key limiting factors. Additionally, regulatory inconsistencies, public scepticism, and substantial initial investment costs, present further obstacles[6].

To address these issues, ongoing pilot projects aim to refine automation technology, improve cost-efficiency, and build public trust. Successfully integrating automated public transport into urban mobility systems will be critical to achieving the EU’s sustainability goals. By overcoming these challenges, the EU can reduce congestion, enhance safety, and lower greenhouse gas emissions, ultimately creating a more sustainable and efficient transport system for the future.

This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard European Union Manager George Scott

[1] https://apnews.com/article/thessaloniki-metro-antiquities-delays-4c1fc3bb705f9b7bc118aa64e2bd758b

[2] Fournier G, Thalhofer M, Chrétien P, et al.: System innovation in transport with automated minibuses and ITS: the citizen centric approach of AVENUE. Transport Research Arena (TRA) Conference. 14 – 17.11.2022, Lisbon, 2022.

[3] https://fabulos.eu/robot-bus-fleets-have-been-successfully-tested-in-5-european-cities/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

[4] https://www.interregeurope.eu/embracer/news-and-events/news/vilnius-automated-bus-pilot-project-inspires-students?utm_source=chatgpt.com

[5] https://judu.lt/en/autonomous-bus-testing/

[6] https://open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu/articles/3-71?utm_source=chatgpt.com