Karlsruhe has officially demonstrated its technology as part of the EU-funded URBANE project, taking an important step toward testing innovative, sustainable urban logistics solutions. The demonstration serves as a real-world testing environment where new delivery concepts, such as the integration of autonomous delivery robots and public transport infrastructure, can be trialed under everyday conditions.
A key milestone was reached in March 2025 with a successful demonstration at the Phillipp-Reis-Straße tram stop. The test explored how parcels could be transported using a standard tram combined with an autonomous delivery robot, offering a flexible and eco-friendly alternative for last-mile logistics.
Throughout the project, work has focused on three different use cases, each designed to highlight practical scenarios in which the robot-tram combination can be effectively applied. These use cases demonstrate the potential of this concept for various urban delivery needs, ranging from parcel transport to local business logistics.
To complement the technical trials, the Karlsruhe team also conducted a comprehensive public survey to capture citizen and stakeholder opinions on autonomous parcel delivery. The survey was carried out in three phases: during the demonstration day, at a public open day held at the Alter Schlachthof creative district in Karlsruhe, and at a company exhibition on Karlsruhe’s central market square. The collected feedback is currently being analysed and will be integrated into the final project report, which the Karlsruhe team is actively working on.
The Karlsruhe Living Lab highlights the city’s commitment to becoming a European hub for sustainable mobility and logistics innovation.