Navya accelerates its development in Germany within the framework of the SMO project with Valeo

Villeurbanne, France, June 8, 2021 – 8:00 am CEST – Navya (FR0013018041- Navya), a leading company in autonomous driving systems, launches new experiments in Germany, the Company’s main market, with 16 shuttles sold, including 9 in 2020.

Germany is one of the main markets for autonomous vehicles worldwide¹. In order to position itself as a pioneer of autonomous mobility solutions, Germany is the first country in the world to adopt a legal framework for level 4 autonomous vehicles, paving the way for numerous commercial applications. The new legislation adopted in May 2021, which allows driverless vehicles to operate in regular service on open road, will accelerate the development of the sector. The recent deployments confirm Navya’s development in Germany, based on experiments in complex environments and thanks to the collaboration of leading industrial players operating in Germany.

Navya has worked with Valeo Group and other partners in Germany, on the deployment of 6 Autonom® Shuttle within the framework of the SMO (Shuttle Modellregion Oberfranken) project. Spread over three cities in northern Bavaria (Hof, Rehau, Kronach), the shuttles, currently in the deployment phase, carry passengers on open road. They are equipped by Valeo with sensors and data acquisition tools, in addition to the components already present in Navya’s systems. In line with previous deployments, Navya has enabled the transfer of know-how through in-situ operators training. Navya autonomous driving systems are deployed on the following sites:

• Hof: 2 Autonom® Shuttle travel on open road within a 3 km route connecting the train station with the rest of the city and including access to a pedestrian zone. The operation is carried out by Regionalbus Ostbayern GmbH, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn, and is integrated into the public transport network;
• Rehau: the 2 shuttles transport on public road the employees of the Rehau AG company, from the parking area to the factories and administrative buildings. This service will become public later in 2021;
• Kronach: the 2 shuttles deployed are operated by Omnibusverkehr Franken GmbH, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn. This service completes the public transport network with a route of almost 3 kms, from the upper town to the Rosenberg fortress.

Prior to these experiments, Navya had been present in Germany through other projects, with nearly twenty deployments, including:

• Regensburg: since 2021, 2 shuttles run on open road on a track operated by Das Stadtwerk Regensburg Mobilität GmbH;
• Berlin: the project, operated by BVG, was completed in mid-2020 and enabled the deployment of 2 Autonom® Shuttle at the Charité Hospital;
• Frankfurt: several experiments lasting a few months have been carried out by RMV, notably at the Wiesbaden clinic and around Eberbach Abbey;
• Hamburg: an open road service consisting of 2 shuttles and operated by TUHH completes since the end of 2019 the bus network of the village of Lauenburg/Elbe;
• Sylt: a shuttle ran until the end of 2020 in the village of Keitum, on the island of Sylt.

All of these services provide the inhabitants of the cities concerned with innovative mobility solutions that make their daily lives easier while reducing traffic and improving road safety.

“These new deployments within sites providing major technological challenges confirm Navya’s strong momentum on the German market and consolidate its position as the leading company for the supply of level 4 autonomous driving systems. As Germany initiates the world’s first regulation dedicated to autonomous vehicles, the numerous projects in which Navya is involved in this country are proof of the added value of our offer and the maturity of our technology supporting innovative mobility solutions. Alongside leading manufacturers such as Valeo, Navya’s long-standing partner in France and in Germany, the Company continues to develop its technology with the aim of offering a commercial solution for both goods and passengers transport”.

Etienne Hermite, CEO of Navya

¹ Source: KPMG’s “Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index 2020” report. Germany retains the 4th place it held in the previous edition of the AVRI for technology and innovation, where it leads the measurement of innovation capacity and is one of the five countries with the highest score for industrial partnerships. Germany is 3rd for patents related to autonomous vehicles and for investments in companies related to autonomous vehicles.

About Navya

Created in 2014, Navya is a leading French name specialized in the supply of autonomous driving systems and associated services. With 280 employees in France (Paris and Lyon), in the United States (Michigan) and in Singapore, Navya aims at becoming the leading player in level 4 autonomous driving systems for passenger and goods transport. Since 2015, Navya has been the first to market and put into service autonomous mobility solutions. The Autonom® Shuttle, main development axis, is dedicated to passenger transport. Since its launch, more than 180 units have been sold in 23 countries as of 31 December 2020. The Autonom® Tract is designed to goods transport. The Valeo and Keolis groups are among Navya’s historical shareholders.
Navya is listed on the Euronext regulated market in Paris (ISIN code: FR0013018041- Navya).
For more information visit: www.navya.tech/en

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