Furttal region launches autonomous electric vehicle trial

The Furttal region near Zurich has launched 'iamo', a public trial for autonomous electric vehicles. The project utilizes three electric cars to serve nearly 100 predefined stops across the municipalities of Boppelsen, Dänikon, Hüttikon, and Otelfingen.

Passengers can book trips via a dedicated smartphone application. The pricing structure starts at a base fare of 4.70 Swiss francs, plus 0.38 francs per kilometer. While the vehicles operate autonomously on public roads, a safety driver remains behind the wheel to intervene if necessary, leaving the front passenger seat vacant for customers.

The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Swiss Transit Lab, the cantons of Zurich and Aargau, and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). The trial aims to test how automated transport can integrate with existing S-Bahn rail connections in rural settings. On its first day of operation, the service recorded 15 passengers and 20 trips, with 750 registrations logged via the app.