On 17 April 2026, the launch of World Public Transport Day marks a global celebration of Public Transport systems that connect millions of people and places daily. For the ULTIMO project, this milestone comes at a defining moment for the future of the public transport sector as it looks at how to reinforce the integration of automated vehicles into public transit networks.
While recent years have seen significant progress in testing and piloting automated solutions in public transport, achieving large scale, commercially viable automated shared mobility remains a key challenge. ULTIMO responds to this by taking a holistic approach that goes beyond technology, addressing the economic, operational, and societal factors needed to fully integrate automated vehicles into urban mobility systems.
Through its demo sites across Europe, ULTIMO is paving the way for fully automated, on demand and door to door services. Through learning from past experiences and promoting collaboration between operators, industry, and research, the project aims to overcome barriers to adoption while ensuring safety, interoperability, and user acceptance. On this, “World Public Transport Day”, ULTIMO highlights how innovation in automation can contribute to more sustainable, accessible, and inclusive mobility services, supporting the long-term transformation of public transport systems in Europe and beyond.
A happy “World Public Transport Day” to everyone!