Bluebus Autonom® successfully passes its first operating tests at the Transpolis proving ground

Villeurbanne, France, January, 10th, 2023 – 07:30 am CEST – NAVYA (FR0013018041- Navya), an autonomous mobility systems leader, and its Bolloré owned industrial partner Bluebus, annouce the success of the Bluebus Autonom’s® initial operating trials at the expected performance levels.

Bluebus was tested in autonomous mode on various types of operating routes over a distance of more than thirty kilometers in a safe area, resulting in the validation of its steering and its dynamic interaction between the Bluebus automized rolling platform and the NavyaDrive® autonomous driving software.

The trials, conducted in level 4 autonomy mode, took place at the Transpolis site at Les Fromentaux, which provides not only a safe proving ground to carry out fine tuning, but also the flexibility needed for testing various operational use cases.

The tests were carried out on in the real-life conditions of a tram circuit with stops along the way, where obstacles were positioned to test braking. The overall response of the vehicle was completely satisfactory in terms of comfort and safety.

This key validation step allows us to take our roadmap a stage further toward putting a number of targeted use cases into operation at our customers’ sites in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The Bluebus Autonom® pioneer project was launched in 2021 with the aim of developing the first French series production autonomous bus that adheres to the standards of the automotive industry. Developed as part of the EFIBA program (Emergence Filière Bus Autonomes), and supported by the France Relance Program, the entry of the Bluebus Autonom® into the rolling phase with such high-performance results is the culmination of remarkable collaborative work.

The critical automation phases and the integration of a set of Navya Pack® sensors, containing Navya Drive® and Navya Operate® software, was carried out under the full control of each of the partners, creating the optimal conditions for the successful operational launch of the Bluebus Autonom®.

The project illustrates the extent to which Navya’s autonomous driving solution is adapted to and integratable with existing rolling bases and confirms its strategic positioning as a provider of agnostic autonomous mobility solutions.

« An important milestone was achieved this week with the first operating trials of the Bluebus Autonom® on a proving ground. Its performance over the first few kilometers was the confirmation of our objectives. The aim of Navya and our industrial partner is clear: to make Bluebus Autonom® the benchmark of series production autonomous buses. We are proud of our success which has been made possible through the constant efforts and expertise of our respective teams. Over and above its technical prowess Bluebus Autonom® is a wonderful example of collaborative work between a technological expert in autonomous mobility systems and an electric bus manufacturer, who have pooled their excellence to bring a vehicle to market that is ideally suited to the needs of its customers and produced efficiently to the highest industrial standards. »

Olivier Le Cornec, CEO Navya 

« We have been watching Navya’s first operating trials of the Bluebus Autonom® with great satisfaction. They prove that our move into autonomous véhicles was the right strategy and that our partnership with Navya was the right choice. We are now certain that we are the holders a vehicle that is efficient in terms of performance, reliability and cost and that can be brought to market quickly. With Bluebus Autonom®, we are part of the future of sustainable autonomous transportation and proud to be. »

Richard Bouveret, CEO Bluebus

About Bluebus

Bluebus is a French company that was founded in Ergué-Gabéric, Bretagne, in 2007 and forms part of the Bolloré Group. It designs and produces 100% electric buses, 6 meters and 12 meters in length. Each bus is fitted with a solid state battery manufactured by Blue Solutions. The Bluebus and Blue Solutions production sites are certified ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, and bear the Origine France Garantie label.

The Bluebus range offers zero emissions technology and silent solutions that meet the demands of communities and transportation operators in terms of clean and sustainable mobility. There are currently more than 450 Bluebuses in operation across the globe.

About NAVYA

NAVYA is a leading French company that specializes in the supply of autonomous mobility systems and related services. It was founded in 2014 and has a total of 280 employees in France (Paris and Lyon), in the United States (Michigan) and in Singapore. NAVYA’s aim is to become the benchmark provider of level 4 autonomous mobility systems for the transportation of people and goods. The company achieved a world first when it launched its Autonom® Shuttle for passengers in 2015. Since that year and up until 31 December 2021, more than 200 vehicles were sold in 25 countries. In 2021 Navya launched its industry equivalent, the Autonom® Tract, a tractor for the transportation of goods. The company is firmly and actively committed to CSR, and it was awarded the ISO 9001 certification in September 2021. The Valeo and Keolis groups count among Navya’s historical shareholders.

NAVYA is listed on the Euronext regulated market in Paris (ISIN code: FR0013018041- Navya).

For further information, visit our website: http://www.navya.tech

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