NLAt the Vakbeurs Openbare Ruimte in Utrecht, FMN’s stand featured a remotely controlled shared car for the first time in the Netherlands. A collaboration of Estonian company Elmo, Dutch Automated Mobility (DAM) and Aon Netherlands. The previous Monday there was already a private and festive launch at Future Mobility Park. It marked the start to revolutionize the shared car sector in the Netherlands.
The car drove outside the Jaarbeurs while being driven from inside the hall. To illustrate, because the car can be driven from all over the world. The advantage of this type of shared car is that it is dropped off at people’s homes by the “teledriver” and needs to take up less space in the city. After the customer gets in, the teledriver takes over the controls and drives to the intended destination.
In the Netherlands, Dutch Automated Mobility now has more than five years of experience in operating autonomous and remote-controlled systems. This made it the designated implementation and realization partner for Elmo. Co-founder of Dutch Automated Mobility and director of FMN, Alwin Bakker underlines this joyful cooperation. “This is another very nice addition to our mission to drive autonomous and teleoperated systems in the Netherlands. After self-driving shuttles and delivery robots, we are now teaming up with Elmo and Aon to make it possible for a shared car to come to you.”
Elmo is the first and only company in the world to operate both a licensed technology platform and car fleet of remote-controlled share cars. The teleoperated cars are already on public roads in Estonia and Finland, with 19,000 users and 140 sharing cars now in operation. CEO of Elmo, Enn Laansoo Jr. is delighted that the first step has now been taken in the Netherlands as well: “This collaboration marks a new milestone in the evolution of mobility and shared car transportation in the Netherlands in particular. Our vision is to link advanced technology with optimal convenience and the remotely controlled shared car comes into its own perfectly in this respect.”
Robert Boshouwers, co-founder of Dutch Automated Mobility adds, “This partnership means not only a leap into the future of mobility, but also a proof of the innovative spirit of our organizations. With this we will make shared cars more accessible to more people, fewer shared cars will be needed in the city and more space will be available in the urban environment.”
Dutch newspaper the Algemeen Dagblad spontaneously dropped by to interview director Alwin Bakker
