Mobility

RealLabHH scoops innovation prize

2 June 2022
Six out of eight experimental projects to continue

The Reallabor Hamburg (RealLabHH) has won the German Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection's "Reallabore 2022 Innovation Award" in the "Retrospectives" category, a press release said in May.  Its research project, led by a consortium steered by Hamburger Hochbahn prevailed over eight rivals. They included Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund with a project on autonomous driving and IAA Mobility 2021 with an environmental motorway lane. "The award is great confirmation for what can be achieved practically and through tests. It whets the appetite for more innovation," said Henrik Falk, CEO of Hochbahn.

Testing practical mobility in Hamburg

Around 32 companies and institutes had taken part in practical tests of digital mobility in Hamburg. RealLabHH emerged from an initiative by the National Platform Future of Mobility (NPM) funded by the German Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV). Emphasis was on more comfortable, simpler and sustainable mobility in future. New solutions were tested in various subprojects. Recommendations and handouts for municipalities were developed between summer 2020 and late 2021. Six out of eight practical test operations will continue now that the research project has ended. 

From lab to reality 

The following sub-projects are to be continued:

One app for everything: HVV's switch app already includes ticketing services, booking the on-demand MOIA shuttle, the Sixt and Miles car sharing offers and the e-scooter sharing provider Tier. More partners including Weshare and Stadtrad will be added this year.

From demonstrator to prototype: The analyses and development of data interaction for intermodal travel chains at the federal level are being continued. The findings on data sovereignty will be operated as part of the "Dataspace Powered Mobility" task force.

Mobility budget instead of company car: A pilot project with an employer-funded and flexible mobility budget as an alternative to the company car was run with ten companies and around 500 employees. That offer will be consolidated in late 2022 under the leadership of Deutsche Bahn and will be added to the HVV switch app for regular operations.

Flexible mobility on demand and in rural areas: On-demand shuttle services in the Stormarn district, including the city of Ahrensburg, will continue until late 2024 and in the Harburg district until December 2022.

Freight bike instead of delivery truck: The micro depots created in downtown Hamburg (Burchardstrasse and Main Bus Station Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof) will continue to serve as transshipment points for use by various logistics service providers and regional retailers. Deliveries are brought from there to the end customer by climate-neutral cargo bikes.

Digital guardian angel for cyclists: An app was developed in the "Vulnerable Road User "subproject, that warns particularly vulnerable road users of impending collisions with vehicles. Hopes are now high that such accidents can be avoided n future. 

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Sources and further information

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