Rural areas face major challenges: a declining number of bus drivers, inefficient large buses – particularly in rural or suburban regions – and an aging population make everyday mobility increasingly difficult. At the same time, the demand for accessible and flexible transport options is growing. Social circumstances call for new, intelligent mobility solutions.
This is where Bertrandt, in collaboration with the Bern University of Applied Sciences, steps in: The autonomous shuttle BumbleB can fundamentally be deployed anywhere. The focus, however, is on less-developed regions where ride-sharing options – such as city buses – are increasingly rare. Small, agile, and yet fully suitable for everyday use, BumbleB brings cutting-edge sensors, software, and system intelligence to the streets – without a steering wheel. The vision: mobility for everyone, regardless of age or physical condition, simple, affordable, and safe to use.
BumbleB is more than a technical experiment. Born from a research project, revived through enthusiasm, and realized with state-of-the-art technology, the shuttle stands for courage, team spirit, and innovation. “BumbleB shows that ‘software-defined mobility’ is a reality and that autonomous vehicles can make a significant contribution to a more environmentally friendly and inclusive society. For us, the current challenging times are exactly the right moment to take this step and demonstrate how passion and engineering excellence can create a new form of mobility. The bumblebee, which flies despite all doubts, is our symbol,” says Alexander Merkel, Head of the Electronics & Virtual Testing Solutions department at Bertrandt.
BumbleB represents a form of mobility that is oriented toward the needs of society and actively shapes change. True to the motto: Revived by passion, inspired for the future.
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.
