The Swiss state transport company, Postauto, has introduced “Amigo,” a highly ambitious new mobility project located in Altstätten, situated in the eastern region of the country. According to reports from the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), the initiative involves testing autonomous electric vehicles across an expansive 80 square kilometer zone spanning the cantons of St. Gallen and Appenzell.
The testing phase has received official authorization from the Federal Roads Office (Astra). Currently, while a safety driver remains onboard for operational oversight, the vehicles are designed to navigate autonomously, operating complex routes without the need for manual steering input from the driver. This technological advancement represents a significant step toward automating public transport in rural and peripheral areas.
The long-term objective of the Amigo project is to integrate these autonomous services into the regular travel patterns of local residents. Postauto plans for passengers to begin booking these self-driving journeys through a dedicated mobile application starting in 2027. The ongoing trials are crucial for refining the technology and ensuring public safety standards are met across diverse geographical terrains.
Over the coming year, the scope of the vehicle deployment is expected to increase, allowing for more comprehensive data collection and operational refinement before the commercial rollout. This development signals a major modernization effort for Switzerland’s regional transport infrastructure.
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