Benteler’s brand of autonomous shuttles, called Holon, has unveiled its first vehicle at the CES in Las Vegas. The electric Holon Mover, designed by Pininfarina, can hold up to 15 passengers and does not require a driver. The company recently renamed its business unit to “Holon” and spun off the unit at the end of 2021 to focus on developing autonomous electric shuttles, also known as “People Movers.”
The Holon Mover on display in Vegas is designed for up to 15 passengers and has a range of about 290 kilometers, operating at a maximum speed of 60 km/h in autonomous mode (Level 4). The shuttle features a “comfortable, discreetly offset seating arrangement” to provide a sense of privacy while meeting safety requirements.
The design of the Holon Mover, created by Pininfarina, has been described as “an asymmetrical design that combines maximum functionality with a high recognition value.” The vehicle is meant to be “friendly and inviting,” while also appearing “technologically advanced and clear.”
In terms of functionality, the Holon Mover has electric double-wing doors with photoelectric sensors, as well as an automatically extending ramp with a lowering function for wheelchair access. The vehicle is also equipped to automatically secure wheelchairs and provide information for visually and audio-impaired passengers. The Holon Mover is equipped with Mobileye’s SAE Level 4 self-driving system, which is being debuted as a commercial system.
“Our autonomous driving system is designed to make ground-breaking mobility concepts possible – like the HOLON mover. Seeing the mover come to life is proof of the robustness and scalability of our approach,” says Johann Jungwirth, Senior Vice President, Autonomous Vehicles at Mobileye.
The Holon Mover has an “advanced sensing system that makes use of different redundant sensors,” according to the company. It also utilizes novel mapping technology and a formal driving policy model. At the CES, Holon demonstrated potential use cases for the vehicle, including on-demand services such as ride-sharing, ride-hailing, and regularly scheduled services.
Hamburg’s public transport company, Hamburger Hochbahn, will conduct a pilot project using the Holon Mover, although details have not been released. In the US, mobility provider Beep will be responsible for implementing the first vehicles as a partner of Holon. Benteler is responsible for Holon development and production, which is set to begin in 2025 in the US.
In the coming years, additional production capacities will be created in Europe and the Middle East/Asia. The Holon Mover has a flexible platform architecture that allows for the creation of passenger and cargo variants, and Benteler considers last-mile mobility to be a “particularly important field of operation” for the electric shuttles.
