The dark side of time

Nuclear clock quest spins off a new dark matter detection method

Weizmann Institute of Science

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For nearly a century, scientists around the world have been searching for dark matter – an invisible substance believed to make up about 80 percent of the universe’s mass and needed to explain a variety of physical phenomena. Numerous methods have been used in attempts to detect dark matter, from trying to produce it in particle accelerators to searching for cosmic radiation that it might emit in space. Yet even today, very little is known about this matter’s fundamental properties. Although it operates in the background, dark matter is believed to influence visible matter, but in ways so subtle that they currently cannot be directly measured.

Scientists believe that if a nuclear clock is developed – one that uses the atomic nucleus to measure time with extreme precision – even the tiniest irregularities in its ticking could reveal dark matter’s influence. Last year, physicists in Germany and Colorado made a breakthrough toward building such a clock, using the radioactive element thorium-229. When researchers in Prof. Gilad Perez’s theoretical physics group at the Weizmann Institute of Science learned of this achievement, they recognized a new opportunity to advance the search for dark matter, even before a fully functional nuclear clock becomes a reality. In collaboration with the German team, they recently published a study in Physical Review X proposing a novel method for detecting dark matter’s influence on properties of the thorium-229 nucleus.

Much as pushing a child on a swing requires the right timing to maintain a smooth, consistent motion, an atomic nucleus also has an optimal oscillation frequency, known in physics as its resonance frequency. Radiation at precisely this frequency can cause the nucleus to “swing” like a pendulum between two quantum states: a ground state and a high-energy state. In most materials, this resonance frequency is high, requiring strong radiation to excite the nucleus. But in 1976, scientists discovered that thorium-229, a byproduct of the US nuclear program, was a rare exception. Its natural resonance frequency is low enough to be manipulated by standard laser technology using the relatively weak ultraviolet radiation. This made thorium-229 a promising candidate for the development of a nuclear clock, in which time is measured by the nucleus “swinging” between quantum states like a pendulum in a traditional clock. 

"A nuclear clock would be the ultimate detector – capable of sensing forces 10 trillion times weaker than gravity, with 100,000 times the resolution of today’s dark matter searches"

However, progress on the nuclear clock stalled at the very first stage, when scientists tried to measure the resonance frequency of thorium-229 with the utmost precision. To determine a nucleus’s resonance frequency, physicists shine a laser on it at varying frequencies and observe how much energy it absorbs or emits while transitioning between quantum states. From these results, they construct an absorption spectrum, and the frequency that causes peak absorption is taken as the nucleus’s resonance frequency.

For nearly five decades, scientists were unable to measure thorium-229’s resonance frequency with enough precision to build a nuclear clock, but last year brought two major advances. First, a group at the National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB) published relatively accurate measurements. A few months later, a team from the University of Colorado released results that were several million times more precise.

“We still need even greater precision to develop a nuclear clock,” says Perez, “but we’ve already identified an opportunity to study dark matter.” He explains: “In a universe made up only of visible matter, the physical conditions and the absorption spectrum of any material would remain constant. But because dark matter surrounds us, its wave-like nature can subtly change the mass of atomic nuclei and cause temporary shifts in their absorption spectrum. We hypothesized that the ability to detect minute deviations in the absorption spectrum of thorium-229 with great precision could reveal dark matter’s influence and help us study its properties.”

Theoretical calculations made by the team – led by Dr. Wolfram Ratzinger from Perez’s group and other postdoctoral fellows – showed that the new measurements could detect dark matter’s influence even if it were 100 million times weaker than gravity, a force that is itself weak and rarely crosses our minds in daily life. “This is a region where no one has yet looked for dark matter,” says Ratzinger. “Our calculations show that it’s not enough to search for shifts in the resonance frequency alone. We need to identify changes across the entire absorption spectrum to detect dark matter’s effect. Although we haven’t found those changes yet, we’ve laid the groundwork to understand them when they do appear. Once we detect a deviation, we’ll be able to use its intensity and the frequency at which it appears to calculate the mass of the dark matter particle responsible. Later in the study, we also calculated how different dark matter models would affect thorium-229’s absorption spectrum. We hope this will ultimately help determine which models are accurate and what dark matter is actually made of.”

Meanwhile, laboratories around the world are continuing to refine the measurement of thorium-229’s resonance frequency, a process expected to take years. If a nuclear clock is eventually developed, it could revolutionize many fields, including Earth and space navigation, communications, power grid management and scientific research. Today’s most accurate timekeeping devices are atomic clocks, which rely on the oscillation of electrons between two quantum states. These are highly precise, but they have one significant drawback: They are vulnerable to electrical interference from the environment, which can affect their consistency. Nuclei of atoms, by contrast, are far less sensitive to such disturbances.

 

Science Numbers

According to a leading model of dark matter, the mysterious substance is made up of countless particles, each of which has a mass at least 1,000,000 times smaller than that of a single electron.

“When it comes to dark matter,” says Perez, “a thorium-229-based nuclear clock would be the ultimate detector. Right now, electrical interference limits our ability to use atomic clocks in the search. But a nuclear clock would let us detect incredibly slight deviations in its ticking – that is, tiny shifts in resonance frequency – which could reveal dark matter’s influence. We estimate it will enable us to detect forces 10 trillion times weaker than gravity, providing a resolution 100,000 times better than what we currently have in our search for dark matter.”

The European Research Council (ERC) recently awarded an ERC Advanced Grant to Prof. Perez’s group to support the continued development of this line of research. Also participating in the study were Prof. Elina Fuchs and Dr. Fiona Kirk from the National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB), Braunschweig, Germany, and Leibniz University Hannover, Germany; Dr. Eric Madge and Chaitanya Paranjape from Perez’s group in Weizmann’s Particle Physics and Astrophysics Department; and Prof. Ekkehard Peik and Dr. Johannes Tiedau from the National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB), Braunschweig, Germany.

 

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Journal

Physical Review X

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! 

 

High-purity green hydrogen with very low tar from biomass, with chemical looping gasification

University of Johannesburg

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A promising industrial process can turn crushed sugar cane waste into green hydrogen far more efficiently than previously thought, shows a SECLG process simulation from the University of Johannesburg. The study is published in Renewable Energy. The simulation indicates high energy efficiency and produces a small fraction of the unwanted tar, carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrogen (N) compared to conventional biomass gasification plants. The process may assist in decarbonizing energy-intensive industries such as steel and cement in the future.

Sugar cane and power grids

About 1.4 billion metric tons of sugarcane are produced around the world every year. From that, about 540 million metric tons of crushed sugarcane waste biomass (known as bagasse) is produced. Countries such as India, China, Brazil, and Mauritius are already gasifying bagasse to produce power for their national electricity grids.

Gasification is a way of ‘chemically burning’ biomass and turning it into syngas, which is a clean mixture of hydrogen and other gases. However, there is no conventional fire involved.

Too much tar

The large-scale gasification methods used at present are not energy-efficient, do not yield high rates of hydrogen, and yield high rates of tar and other noxious by-products, says Prof Bilainu Oboirien from the University of Johannesburg. He is a researcher at the Department of Chemical Engineering Technology.

“A typical syngas from biomass gasification has hydrogen (10-35%), carbon monoxide (20-30%), carbon dioxide (10-25%), tar (10-100 g/nm3), nitrogen (40-50%), and a balance of hydrocarbons,” says Oboirien.

“Here, carbon dioxide generated is not captured by the process. Also, the high tar yields require a lot of additional equipment for cleaning. For context, tar is like dirty engine oil in a car. This, in turn, increases operational costs significantly,” he adds.

A better way to green hydrogen

A far more effective method to gasify biomass such as bagasse is called Sorption-Enhanced Chemical Looping Gasification (SECLG). Various research groups have been developing SECLG over the last 10 years.

Compared to methods used in industry today, SECLG can produce much higher purity green hydrogen, at higher yields from biomass. It is also far more energy-efficient and better able to capture carbon inside the process itself, says Oboirien.

Low tar process simulation

Prof Oboirien and UJ Master’s candidate Mr Lebohang Gerald Motsoeneng created a mathematical model of the SECLG process.

They followed this up with a comprehensive Aspen Plus simulation of the SECLG process at laboratory scale. They compared two known metal oxides used as oxygen carriers in the process to see how these would impact the hydrogen yield and other parameters.

Higher hydrogen yields

“For SECLG, our model estimates hydrogen (62-69%), carbon monoxide (5-10%), carbon dioxide (less than 1%), tar (less than 1 g/nm3), nitrogen (less than 5%), and a balance of hydrocarbons,” says Oboirien.

This means that the high hydrogen yield, low tar concentration, and low nitrogen dilution in the gas could significantly reduce the economic costs, by reducing the additional equipment required.

The hydrogen quality can be expected to be good. However, it would still require further purification to get to an industrial-grade gas that can be readily used for linked processes, he adds.

Existing infrastructure

Countries with existing biomass gasification infrastructure and ready access to biomass stand to benefit most from SECLG of bagasse for green hydrogen, says Oboirien. Examples are China, Brazil, and South Africa. This is because it would be much easier and cheaper to retrofit existing technologies rather than to acquire and build new, dedicated SECLG plants, he says.

Tuning with oxygen carriers

The Aspen Plus model compares the efficiency of high-performance oxygen carriers, the well-known metal oxides nickel oxide (NiO) and ferric oxide (Fe2O3). The study also examines the stability of the oxygen carriers and sorbent material, given the harsh conditions during SECLG caused by high temperatures, pressures, and material conveying systems, says Oboirien.

The model shows that the oxygen carrier nickel oxide produces higher purity hydrogen and captures carbon dioxide more effectively in the reactor during the process.

Meanwhile, the other oxygen carrier, ferric oxide, is better at producing a more combustible gas blend. It also indicates a possibility of a tunable SECLG process to yield transportation fuels such as diesel in addition to hydrogen.

Next steps

Currently, the model does not address the degradation of the oxygen carrier and sorbent material over time in real-world applications. In addition, solid material conveying and efficient separation of unwanted ash and char were not modelled or simulated, but these are required for a viable SECLG system.

Says Oboirien: “We are presently developing further proof of concept, experimentally, in a lab-scale environment. Through these experiments, we hope to be able to validate these models against experimental data.”

Scaling up

SECLG is a proven concept using process simulation models but has its own challenges. It is not yet used in large-scale industrial biofuel-to-syngas operations.

Oboirien says SECLG requires temperatures of around 600 degrees Celcius, pressure of around 5 bar, and multiple cycles. SEGLG also requires conveyance systems for the metal oxide oxygen carriers and sorbent material in this case. These enable the continuous catalysis and carbon capture cycle ‘looping effect’ of the process.

“Sorption-enhanced chemical looping gasification of biomass is a promising process to produce hydrogen and transportation fuels,” says Oboirien.

“The research requires investment in infrastructure and collaboration between the industries to become sustainable, and hopefully, to realize the potential of this SECLG technology,” he adds.

 

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Funding

Funding was provided by the University of Johannesburg, as a Global Excellence and Stature (GES) 4.0 scholarship awarded to Mr. Lebohang Gerald Motsoeneng. 

NRF Competitive funding for rated researchers was provided by the National Research Foundation of South Africa, grant number SRUG22051912664 to Prof Bilainu Oborien.

 

Notes to Editors

For more information, or to email questions:

Ms Therese van Wyk, Research Media Liaison, University of Johannesburg, theresevw@uj.ac.za.

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Journal

Renewable Energy

DOI

10.1016/j.renene.2025.123022 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Sorption enhanced chemical looping gasification of biomass for H2 and transportation fuel production

 

How secure is our energy supply?

Solving the energy trilemma

Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa)

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The energy trilemma describes the balance between sustainability, equity, and supply security that must be taken into account in the energy transition.

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Credit: Empa

The energy transition poses challenges for countries, cities, and regions. The use of sustainable sources of energy is key to halting climate change. At the same time, the costs of the energy system must not spiral out of control, and supply security must be ensured. These three aspects – sustainability, costs, and supply security – form what is known as the energy trilemma.

The energy trilemma was developed by the World Energy Council to support policymakers in designing the energy systems of tomorrow. By modeling the three criteria on a sound scientific basis, different energy scenarios can be compared quantitatively, ideally revealing the path that offers the optimal balance between the three target variables.

The sustainability and costs of different energy systems can already be reliably quantified using a number of models. Until now, however, this has not been the case for supply security. “Many of the existing models were vague, not user-friendly, and not designed for today’s modeling capabilities,” says Matthias Sulzer, Head of Empa’s Engineering Sciences department. Together with researchers from Empa, ETH Zurich, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the US, Sulzer has developed a better way for quantifying energy supply security. The work was recently published in the journal iScience.

The five levels of energy supply security

The model takes the form of a pyramid with five levels. The researchers have provided quantitative indices for each level. The bottom level, self-production, is a simple energy balance calculation: How much energy can a country produce from its own resources annually, and how much does it consume? The second level describes autonomy; i.e., how much energy needs to be imported over the course of the year, and how secure are the import routes. Starting on the third level of the pyramid, system adequacy, dynamic effects come into play. “Here, we examine hourly – or at an even higher resolution – whether the energy demand can be met at any given time from any source,” explains co-author Georgios Mavromatidis, head of Empa's Urban Energy Systems Laboratory. The fourth level deals with self-sufficiency: Can the country manage without imports at certain times? At the top level, the researchers talk about complete autarky, where the country can live off its own energy production at any time throughout the year (or even longer).

Although the levels build on each other, Mavromatidis stresses that they should all be considered simultaneously. “Modern energy systems are very complex. The pyramid is intended to help assess the various indices correctly and clarify the terminology,” says the researcher. Its key strength over existing models is that its higher levels take dynamic effects into account. “Renewable energy systems in particular are operated very dynamically, because wind and sun are not always available to the same extent,” says Mavromatidis. “An average annual balance is thus not a good indicator of supply security in such a system.”

More security with renewable energy

The researchers emphasize that the pyramid should be viewed as a first proposal, that serves as a basis for further discussion, research, and refinement of the indices. Nevertheless, the model can already be used for energy planning. The researchers demonstrated this in their study using Switzerland as an example. They used the pyramid to compare the current energy supply security in Switzerland with a future scenario for the year 2050, which they had already modeled during a previous study in collaboration with the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (VSE).

The analysis shows that with the right mix of renewable energies, Switzerland can increase its energy security in the future. According to Matthias Sulzer, two factors in particular contribute to this: increased diversification of energy sources and higher domestic production. Additional storage facilities also contribute to secure the energy supply, as they can be used to bridge fluctuations. This does not only include hydroelectric reservoirs: “Thermal storage facilities, in which we can store and utilize industrial waste heat, are also important, as are batteries,” explains the researcher. “At Empa, for example, we are also researching approaches to using electric cars for temporary electricity storage when they are not on the road.”

Switzerland will not become fully self-sufficient in the researchers' future scenario – nor is that necessarily the goal, according to Sulzer. “This is where the energy trilemma comes into play,” he explains. “Of course, it would be technically possible to establish a completely self-sufficient energy supply in Switzerland. Even a self-sufficient and sustainable system would be feasible – but that would significantly drive up the costs.” With a mix of imports and domestic production, as well as different energy sources, Switzerland can balance costs, sustainability, and supply security.

The model proposed by the researchers structures energy supply security into five levels, which build on each other but are viewed as a whole.

Credit

Empa

Journal

iScience

DOI

10.1016/j.isci.2025.112407 

Method of Research

Literature review

Subject of Research

Not applicable

 

The H5N1 influenza outbreaks in the US dairy cattle likely triggered by the "milk-stealing" behavior of lactating cows

Science China Press

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How the H5N1 virus invades the mammary gland of dairy cattle

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Credit: ©Science China Press

H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza poses a serious threat to both animal and human health. Since 2021, a novel H5N1 virus has caused thousands of outbreaks among poultry and wild birds across multiple countries. In March 2024, H5N1 virus was first reported in dairy cattle in the United States. As of June 2025, outbreaks have been reported on more than 1,070 dairy farms across 17 states, with a mortality rate of up to 10% in affected cattle. Moreover, 41 dairy farm workers were infected by the virus, highlighting a significant threat to the global dairy industry and public health. The H5N1 virus causes severe lesions in the mammary glands and contaminates milk, with H5N1 viral genes detected in 25% of retail milk samples in the U.S. However, as a typical respiratory pathogen, how does the H5N1 virus enter the mammary glands of dairy cows? A Chinese research team led by Professor Hualan Chen has solved this mystery, and they also provide a strategy on how to control the disease in cattle.

The scientists performed this study by using a total of 50 cattle, including 46 lactating cows and four calves, in the animal biosafety level 3+ (P3+) facility at the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute. They extensively investigated the replication, tissue tropism, and pathogenicity of H5N1 virus in cattle after different route inoculation, and they found that virus delivered into the nose can only replicate in tissues of the mouth and respiratory tract of the cattle, and virus inoculated into the mammary gland replicates only in the inoculated gland but does not migrate to neighboring mammary glands of the cattle, suggesting that entry through the teat is the only natural way the virus can infect the mammary glands of cattle.

Given that some lactating cows’ "steal milk" through self-nursing or mutual-nursing, they speculated that "mouth-to-teat" transmission may be the route by which the H5N1 virus initially infects the mammary glands of dairy cows. They found that bovine oral tissues express high levels of sialic acid receptors, which favors viral infection through contaminated feed and water, and explains why the H5N1 virus could replicate efficiently in the oral cavity and be released for several days. They further demonstrated that H5N1 virus in the oral cavity of calves could be successfully transmitted to the mammary glands of the lactating cows they sucked. 

Vaccination has been a strategy for control of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry in China and several other countries, but it is unknown whether vaccination also prevents H5N1 influenza infection in cattle. They tested two vaccines in lactating cattle, and demonstrated that both H5 inactivated vaccine and hemagglutinin-based DNA vaccine conferred complete protection against H5N1 infection in cattle, even after a high-dose of virus challenge via direct intramammary gland inoculation.

“This study not only provides crucial insights into controlling the ongoing cattle H5N1 influenza in the United States,” said Hualan Chen, a renowned virologist and the leader of this study, “but also offers scientific suggestions on how to prevent the H5N1 influenza outbreak in dairy cattle in other countries”.

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Journal

National Science Review

DOI

10.1093/nsr/nwaf262/8180392 

Method of Research

Experimental study

 

TUM creates seal of approval for robotics

Classification system for robot fitness

Technical University of Munich (TUM)

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When autonomous robots interact with humans and perform tasks independently, their sensitivity is crucial. This is what makes them safe and flexible. However, there is currently no standardized procedure for determining this sensitivity and thus individual robots’ fitness for physical interactions. Researchers at the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now developed an evaluation scheme that can be used to compare industrial robots and, in the future, other systems such as mobile and humanoid robots or robotic hands.

Achim Lilienthal, Deputy Director of MIRMI and Professor of Intelligent Systems Perception, is convinced: “The TUM MIRMI test methodology has the potential to become an industrial testing standard.” This would create the conditions for establishing a seal of quality for the fast-growing robotics market. “Knowing the performance capabilities of a robot system is an enormous help to industry, where companies want to make the best possible use of robotic systems.” TUM MIRMI Executive Director Prof. Lorenzo Masia says: “Based on the original idea, I am certain that the AI Robot Safety & Performance Centre at TUM MIRMI will develop into an independent national testing center for robotics.”

Single-armed robots as a starting point

As a first step, the researchers examined and categorized single-armed robots from well-known manufacturers that are used in industry and research. Although many robotic arms look similar, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses, with big differences between sensors, motors and the actual brain of the intelligent machines. This results in systems that differ greatly in their basic capabilities. Some are powerful and precise in their movements, while others are gentle, flexible and sensitive in their interaction with their surroundings.

To highlight these differences and the continuous progress of robotics, researchers at TUM MIRMI's AI Robot Safety & Performance Centre have developed the Tree of Robots. Based on Charles Darwin's Tree of Life, it depicts the fundamentally different adaptations of various species to their ‘habitat’, in this case not of living beings, but robots. “To do this, we look at the basic skills a robot needs in processes, such as how well it follows a given path, takes up a position, how gently it can make contact with surfaces, and how safe it is in dealing with collisions between robots and humans,” explains lab director Robin Kirschner.

25 measurements of robot sensitivity

For tactility alone, there are 25 measurements that describe a robot’s sensitivity in physical contact with its surroundings. Among other things, this involves finding out whether the force applied to a surface, for example, is not actually higher than intended or whether a robot could cause injury to humans. From the pattern that emerges on a spider diagram based on the 25 measurements, even laypeople can see the robot’s sensitivity at a glance.

A clear picture of a robotic system’s strengths and weaknesses

Based on the performance of individual systems, researchers categorize them as ‘industrial robots,’ ‘cobots,’ ‘soft robots’ and ‘tactile robots.’ For surgical robots the decisive requirement is precision. For warehouse or factory applications, by contrast, the emphasis is on strength and resilience, i.e. the ability to perform repetitive movements over long periods. “We combine existing motion metrics with our new tactile metrics to provide the first-ever overview of the totality of the basic capabilities for physical interactions of a robotic system,” explains Kirschner.

Further information:

The Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (TUM MIRMI) is an integrative research institute at the Technical University of Munich, where researchers develop intelligent machines that interact with humans and are capable of learning. More than 70 professors from TUM are involved in TUM MIRMI, focusing on robotics applications, perception and artificial intelligence. The focus is on applications in the fields of health, work, environment and mobility. A five-member Board of Directors defines the research and innovation strategy as well as the core teaching content of TUM MIRMI, establishes and coordinates new focus groups, appoints new research and innovation leaders, and proposes new members for the Science Advisory Board and the Industry Advisory Board. The Board of Directors consists of Prof. Lorenzo Masia (Executive Director), Prof. Achim Lilienthal (Deputy Director and Director of Strategy and Partnerships), Prof. Angela Schoellig (Director of Industry and International Affairs) and Prof. Eckehard Steinbach (Director of Start-ups and Infrastructure). More information: https://www.mirmi.tum.de/mirmi/startseite/

Publication

Robin Jeanne Kirschner, Kübra Karacan, Alessandro Melone and Sami Haddadin; Categorizing robots by performance fitness into the tree of robots; Nature Machine Intelligence, 24.3.2025; https://www.nature.com/articles/s42256-025-00995-y

Additional press materials:

Photos:  https://mediatum.ub.tum.de/1785554

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Journal

Nature

DOI

10.1038/s42256-025-00995-y 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Categorizing robots by performance fitness into the tree of robots

 

High acceptance and potential: autonomous shuttles as an opportunity for local public transport

Researchers at KIT analyze whether autonomous shuttles could boost public transport in Baden-Württemberg

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

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The latest research at KIT shows that autonomous shuttles offer major opportunities for better local public transport in rural areas. (Photo: Felix Kästle, ZF Friedrichshafen)

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Credit: Felix Kästle, ZF Friedrichshafen

“Users are open-minded and have a very positive attitude toward the new technology if it’s safe and it’s explained well,” said Martin Kagerbauer from KIT’s Institute for Transport Studies (IFV). In its RABus project (RABus stands for “Reality lab for Automated Bus operations for urban and rural public transport”), Kagerbauer’s team conducted comprehensive surveys showing that there is not only wide acceptance for but also great interest in using autonomous shuttles among all population groups. “We were able to show that doubts can be overcome by talking about and demonstrating the technology.”

 

Successful Tests under Realistic Conditions

Starting in October 2024, two autonomous shuttles operated in road traffic in each of the test regions (Mannheim and Friedrichshafen). The vehicles took more than 1,600 passengers on about 430 trips, traveling safely and reliably over 2,100 kilometers in automated mode, even in poor weather and heavy traffic. They drove at up to 50 kilometers per hour, a speed not previously reached by shuttles in comparable projects elsewhere in Germany.

 

Government Committed to Automated Mobility

“With the RABus project, we’ve shown that autonomous driving in public transport isn’t just a promise of the future. People can experience it now,” said Winfried Hermann, Transport Minister of Baden-Württemberg. “Our feedback shows that when people have experienced automated mobility themselves, they gain confidence in its technology. With this project, Baden-Württemberg has underscored its role as a place where innovative mobility solutions are designed and tested. This is a strong signal for the future of public transport, especially in rural areas. Our goal is to shift automated service from test mode to everyday operation, making modern mobility available to all.”

 

Simulations Show Potential for All of Baden-Württemberg

The researchers used simulations to find regions where everyday operation would be especially useful in the future. “We found promising areas in nearly every community in Baden-Württemberg. Having shuttles as a supplement would win new passengers by making existing local public transport much more attractive,” Kagerbauer said.

 

Continued Development Planned after End of Project

The vehicles will continue to be used for test purposes in Friedrichshafen even after the end of the project, ensuring that the knowledge gained during the project can be used for further improvement of autonomous driving. (mex)

 

About the RABus Project

The RABus project received funding from Baden-Württemberg’s transport ministry and was coordinated by the Research Institute for Automotive Engineering and Powertrain Systems Stuttgart (Forschungsinstitut für Kraftfahrwesen und Fahrzeugmotoren Stuttgart, FKFS). In addition to KIT, other participating partners included Stadtverkehr Friedrichshafen GmbH (SVF), Regionalverkehr Alb-Bodensee GmbH (RAB), Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (rnv), and ZF Friedrichshafen AG.

 

More about the KIT Mobility Systems Center: http://www.mobilitaetssysteme.kit.edu