In August 2020, Tallinn Transport Department in cooperation with Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and TalTech is organizing a two-day event The Future of Autonomous Transport in the Baltic Sea Region in Tallinn, consisting of a public exhibition in Kadriorg Park on August 26 and a high-level conference at Proto Invention Factory on August 27.
Cities and regions of the Baltic Sea region have for the last three years gained knowledge and competence on organizing environmentally friendly and smart automated public transport under the project Sohjoa Baltic:
- altogether five driverless electric minibus pilots deployed
- the legal and technological frameworks studied
- user experience surveys conducted to passengers
Project aimed to support the public transport chains’ last mile connectivity and cities development towards more carbon neutral mobility.
Pilot in Tallinn this summer
Tallinners have already had the opportunity to get acquainted with self-driving buses several times. During the Estonian presidency of the Council of the European Union, a self-driving bus for participants ran between Kultuurikatel and Mere puiestee. In the summer of 2019, the pilot of the Sohjoa Baltic project started in Kadriorg Park, where Navya’s self-driving bus traveled along Weizenberg Street to KUMU. From mid-June 2020, the bus operates again in Kadriorg Park.
Conference for cities and industry focuses on the future
When will the autonomous vehicles become common goods in public transport? Who they will serve and create value to? We all play a role in shaping up the future. Join our event to discuss and learn.
The conference “The Future of Autonomous Transport in the Baltic Sea Region” on 27 August will bring together policy makers and cities, as well as representatives of the automotive industry in Europe, to discuss new technologies. The conference will focus on the further development needs in the Baltic Sea Region in terms of self-driving vehicles.
Based on the lessons learned from automated bus pilots in Gdansk, Helsinki, Kongsberg, Tallinn, Vejle and Zemgale region, the discussion focuses on
- what is the role of autonomous public transport in the future
- how the new technologies benefit cities
- how policymaking supports the development
- what is the role of mobility industry in the smart mobility ecosystem.
Please find more details on the conference agenda.
Registration link for live or online participation (opens to metropolia.fi)
Public open air exhibition brings vehicles to the park
On 26 August, the open air exhibition in the lower garden of the Kadriorg Art Museum is organised for the public interested to get acquainted with innovative means of transport and exciting existing technological solutions that help improve mobility in a complex urban environment. Navya, Bolt, Iseauto, Volkswagen, Audi and several other companies operating at the forefront of future transport will participate in the exhibition. The band Traffic performs during the day and some extra excitement is offered by a science theater.
The events are admission free.
More information
These events are organized by the Sohjoa Baltic project consortium and funded by the European Regional Development Fund’s Baltic Sea Region Program. Sohjoa Baltic is researching, introducing and piloting self-driving electric minibuses as part of public transport, especially in the so-called first or last mile connection.
- Conference website https://tallinnconference.eu shares latest news
- Sohjoa Baltic project website https://sohjoabaltic.eu
- Sohjoa Baltic publication on the legal matters of autonomous transport on European level: Roadmap to Automatic Electric Shuttles in Public Transport – The Legal Framework, opens as PDF.
- Sohjoa Baltic webinar 10th June 2020: Autonomous public transport webinar 2020 recording with expert keynotes, on Youtube