HOLON has received approval from the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) for its HOLON urban autonomous shuttle, in accordance with §16 AFGBV (Autonomous Vehicles Approval and Operation Ordinance).
The approval will enable HOLON to test the shuttle in its autonomous driving mode (AD) with a safety driver across Germany – marking a key milestone towards the company’s market-ready autonomous mobility solutions.
HOLON urban will now begin autonomous test drives on public roads in Germany, with the permit set to be used for the first time as part of the the ALIKE project with Hamburger Hochbahn.
The project will see the vehicle operate within a confined area of around 37 square kilometres in Hanseatic city, wherein which it is expected to gain experience in real city traffic in the future.
Initial test drives will be carried out with a safety driver onboard, who will monitor the vehicle’s operation whilst it performs tasks entirely autonomously. Development engineers will also accompany the test drives to assess continuous improvement.
Dr. Flavio Friesen, Vice President Engineering at HOLON, said:The nationwide approval for the testing of our autonomous Level-4 shuttle is a milestone for the introduction of autonomous mobility in public transport - and an accolade for HOLON.
The approval from the KBA paves the way for autonomous transport solutions in Germany and shows that our vehicle system is convincing both technically and regulatorily. We are making great strides towards a new era of mobility.
Following the nationwide approval, HOLON will now be able to test its autonomous capabilities across a wide range of operating environments in the future, including large cities and rural regions but excluding motorways.
The permit will remain valid until the end of 2026, with an extension remaining a possibility.
HOLON has also now begun preparations in Jacksonville (Florida) for the establishment of the company’s first production site, in partnership with InLight, with ground-breaking planned for April 2026.
