Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI
Driverless buses that reliably transport passengers from A to B—not as an experiment, but as an integral part of everyday life: This is the goal that the Free State of Saxony has set for itself in collaboration with partners from politics, business, academia, and the public transportation sector. At the symposium “Vision 2030: Autonomous Driving in Saxony’s Public Transportation System” on April 23, 2026, a letter of intent was signed, marking the launch of a coordinated initiative. Prof. Dr. Sanaz Mostaghim, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI, signed the letter of intent on behalf of the institute, which will contribute its scientific and technical expertise to the project in a targeted manner.
Autonomous vehicles at SAE Level 4 in regular operation by 2030
The automation level jointly targeted by the signatories, SAE Level 4, stands for highly automated driving. This means that the vehicle system handles all driving tasks independently and requires no human intervention within defined operating areas. For public transportation, this means in concrete terms: buses and shuttle vehicles could operate safely and reliably without drivers. Especially in suburban and rural areas, where mobility options are often scarce or trips must be canceled due to staff shortages, this opens up new prospects for demand-based mobility solutions.
Applied Research for Connectivity and Safety
As a signatory to the letter of intent and a partner in the SIAS-ÖV project, Fraunhofer IVI contributes its expertise in two key areas. On the one hand, the institute develops and tests V2X communication as well as digital infrastructure components for safe, connected, and assisted driving. The networking of these components is an essential prerequisite for the safe operation of autonomous vehicles and their ability to adapt to specific situations. Additionally, researchers are developing safety concepts, monitoring systems, and standards for defining operational areas, as well as solutions for the reliable technical supervision of automated shuttles—that is, the systems that remotely monitor and ensure the safety of driverless operations.
Structured collaboration between politics, business, science, and the public transport sector
The initiative’s partners include numerous stakeholders from research, industry, transport companies, and politics, including AMZ – Network of Automotive Suppliers in Saxony, Bertrandt Group, CADA – Chemnitz Automated Driving Alliance, DB Regio AG, IAV GmbH, the State Capital of Dresden, the District of Northern Saxony, Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe GmbH, SAENA GmbH, the Saxon State Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development, the Saxon State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy, and Climate Protection, Smart Rail Connectivity Campus gGmbH, the City of Leipzig, staff-eye GmbH, TUD Dresden University of Technology, the Chair of Vehicle Mechatronics, VDV e.V ., Volkswagen Sachsen GmbH, the East Saxony Transport Association, and Fraunhofer IVI.
The signing of the letter of intent is more than a symbolic act—it marks the beginning of a structured collaboration aimed at consistently translating innovations from the laboratory into real-world everyday mobility. With its DNA rooted in applied research, Fraunhofer IVI is pleased to actively help shape this path.