The mobility transition poses major challenges, particularly for rural regions. A key underlying issue is particularly evident: according to a survey by the Association of German Transport Companies, there is currently a shortage of around 20,000 bus drivers in Germany – and the trend is rising. The island of Mainau, known for its commitment to sustainability, provided the stage for Bertrandt’s highly automated shuttle BumbleB to be showcased under real-world conditions.
BumbleB is more than just a technological experiment: Bertrandt aims to set a milestone for the mobility transition in Germany. By using open-source technologies and the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) principle, Bertrandt aims to strengthen digital sovereignty and make autonomous shuttles economically efficient. The island of Mainau could become a flagship project for sustainable, autonomous mobility solutions in rural areas.
“We are still at the beginning. But we’ve already moved beyond traditional ways of thinking. We need to act like software developers, not like traditional automotive engineers. The challenge today is less about the technology and more about adopting a new mindset. We are striving for a solution that works, scales, and creates real value,” said Alexander Merkel, Head of the Electronics & Virtual Testing Solutions department at Bertrandt.
With the BumbleB project, Bertrandt is focusing on the joint development of the vehicle, software, infrastructure, and operation. The company consistently applies open-source principles – not only in software but also in mechanical components. Bertrandt is also strengthening its digital expertise to ensure technological independence. At the same time, the company is in discussions with various municipalities to develop practical use cases for expanding BumbleB to additional locations. Bertrandt is thus expanding its role beyond pure engineering services and positioning itself as a reliable partner that, together with other players, aims to offer solutions from concept to practical implementation – all the way to Mobility-System-as-a-Service.
The autonomous shuttle BumbleB and the associated visions and projects were also presented to Baden-Württemberg’s Minister of Transport, Winfried Hermann, during the 3rd Mainau Climate Dialogue. Together with Markus Ruf, CFO of Bertrandt AG, Minister Hermann experienced a ride on the shuttle – from the event venue in the heart of Mainau Island to the island’s entrance. The Minister was impressed by the innovation: “Autonomous shuttles like BumbleB demonstrate how self-driving vehicles work using new digital technologies. Such shuttles could enable flexible and affordable public transport services in rural areas, remote regions, and during off-peak hours in the future. Bertrandt is using the open-source method for development, focusing on cooperation, transparency, and sovereignty. This has the potential to revolutionize public transport.”
About Bertrandt
Through our development performance, we accelerate technological progress and make a relevant contribution to a sustainable future. We are an independent and international development service provider with many years of automotive expertise. With cross-industry know-how and a holistic understanding of systems and products, we create technological solutions along the entire value chain. We deal with a focus on trend topics such as digitalization, e-mobility and autonomous systems, mainly for the automotive, aerospace and mechanical engineering sectors, and consistently facilitate the development of tailored solutions in these areas. We work on this every day – with around 13,000 employees at over 50 sites worldwide.
