Bestmile has announced the expansion of the company’s OEM partnerships with the platform’s integration with Lohr Cristal vehicles and a demonstration project in France later this year.
“This project will demonstrate how Bestmile’s technology can be deeply integrated with an OEM vehicle to enable new mobility services,” said Raphael Gindrat, CEO and co-founder of Bestmile. “The trial will showcase the advantages of an open platform capable of communicating with and managing any type of vehicle including human-driven vehicles, enabling the evolution of new mobility services.”
Bestmile’s Core Engine gives public and private transit businesses real-time ride matching, service planning and back-office management to quickly and easily launch tailored mobility services. In addition to the Core Engine, Lohr will be using Bestmile’s traveler mobile app and operator dashboard to provide their customers with an end-to-end solution. The Lohr Cristal is the first vehicle to embed Bestmile technology directly on a head unit.
Lohr Cristal electric shuttles seat five people including a driver and can reach speeds up to 70 km/hour and operate for a full day on a single charge. The vehicle can also operate as a larger shuttle by coupling additional driven or driverless vehicles with the primary vehicle, accommodating up to 82 standing passengers at speeds up to 40 km/hour. Shuttles like Lohr’s offer transit businesses a way to reach new service areas with lower investment in infrastructure such as rails, stations, and stops.
“Bestmile and Lohr Group share a commitment to innovative mobility solutions that make safe, accessible transit available to all,” said Jean-François Argence, new mobilities firector of Lohr Group. “We are showing the world how mobility providers can deliver next generation services today.”
Supporting human-driven as well as autonomous vehicles is important for operators, making it possible to mix vehicle fleets and test customer acceptance of new mobility solutions. The trial project will compliment or replace existing bus lines and will test public reaction to new types of vehicles and services.
Bestmile is thrilled to work with Lohr on this new project and to offer its customer the possibility to deploy an innovative vehicle for human-driven shuttle and micro-transit services. Bestmile and the Lohr Group will be present at the Autonomy exhibition in Paris from 18 to 20 October to share this partnership in more details (Stand Bestmile E-17).
