The first autonomous on-demand bus in Spain was launched in Madrid
Madrid has become the first Spanish city to deploy on-demand autonomous buses. The largest food distribution platform in the country is now equipped with a smarter and more sustainable transport solution.
The new autonomous bus in Madrid — Credit: Mobilities for EU
The world of autonomous vehicles has just got bigger.
Madrid has taken a further step towards smarter, more sustainable urban mobility by launching Spain's first autonomous on-demand bus service at Mercamadrid, the country's largest food distribution platform.
Developed within the MOBILITIES FOR EU project, the initiative highlights how connected, automated and zero-emission mobility solutions can improve transport efficiency in complex urban settings.
How it works
The service, operated by Alsa, uses a fully electric autonomous bus to provide flexible mobility. Each day, more than 20,000 people and 15,000 vehicles access Mercamadrid. To manage this kind of user flux, a fixed timetable covers peak hours, complementing existing public transport services. Additionally, passengers can request trips on demand later in the day through a mobile application. This allows demand to dynamically adjust routes and frequency of trips.
By combining autonomous driving, advanced sensor systems and 5G connectivity, the pilot explores the safe and efficient integration of automated public transport within a complex logistics hub. In addition to validating the technology, the project will evaluate user behaviour, operational performance and the feasibility of scaling the solution to other European cities.
