Germany / USA – ZF Friedrichshafen AG of Friedrichshafen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany unveiled a new range of autonomous shuttles and announced a distribution agreement with mobility services provider Beep Inc at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA between 5-8 January. 

In 2021, ZF launched a range of autonomous shuttles intended for operation in segregated lanes in urban areas. At CES, ZF premiered a model designed for use in urban mixed-traffic scenarios. The shuttle, which features autonomy up to Level 4, is equipped with lidar, radar, camera and audio systems which it uses in concert to navigate its surroundings and identify risks. The components are centrally controlled by ZF’s ProAI computer, and ZF’s ProConnect platform allows for data transfer and communication between the shuttle, the operator’s network, and smart infrastructure. The software which drives the vehicle is called ‘Virtual Driver’, which is capable of processing all the information derived from the computer, the network and the perception systems.