Holo

Learn more

More sustainability thanks to self-driving vehicles

 

Parking assistance systems and lane assist systems are already making life easier for many drivers today. What many don’t know is that in some places, enhanced versions of these technologies are already enabling driverless driving. Scaling up the use of these technologies promises greater safety on our roads and a more efficient flow of traffic, which will, not least, also have a positive impact on sustainability.

 

Our contribution

 

/content/dam/amag-report/bilder/SDG_8.png

8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth

/content/dam/amag-report/bilder/SDG_9.png

9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

 

Holo specialises in the introduction and operation of safe mobility solutions featuring autonomous systems on land and in the air. The AMAG Group has held a stake in the Danish company Holo since 2023. In the Norwegian capital Oslo, for example, Holo provides services for the local public transport provider Ruter. It has set itself the goal of transforming public mobility by 2030 and putting around 30,000 autonomous shuttles into operation. This development is designed to respond to people’s mobility needs and relieve traffic pressure in and around Oslo. Thanks to their resource-friendly and efficient approach, autonomous ride pooling services can be a sensible addition or alternative to car ownership and make a significant contribution to optimising traffic. This means that Holo is making a valuable contribution to ensuring that the places we live remain worth living in going forward.

 

“In order to clarify the conditions in which automation systems can be used, we need a legal framework that is stable but still provides leeway for innovation.” 

 

– Christoph Zeier, Lead Mobility Initiatives at LAB 

 

In Switzerland, the Swiss Association for Autonomous Mobility (SAAM) is responsible for designing and launching new technologies and services. It cooperates closely with players from the public transport and logistics sectors, as well as from the fields of industry and research. Its main objective is to develop specific guidelines and ensure broad acceptance of the introduction of these technologies. Through SAAM, AMAG is in regular contact with the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) regarding the Ordinance on Automated Driving, which is due to come into force after the law has been passed by Parliament.

 

Forward-looking mobility services can only successfully round off the current range of services and have maximum impact if we can gain relevant experience with them. This holds particularly true for services involving autonomous vehicles, which are extremely complex. For example, replacement of a physical driver, communication with a passenger or the securing of a load in logistics operations have to be very well designed in terms of processes and the digital backbone if these services are to be launched successfully across the board. This requires a high level of specialised knowledge and experience on the one hand, and trustworthy partners for the customers of these services on the other. With its investment in Holo at the beginning of 2023, AMAG made a targeted investment in the development of expertise in connection with the operation and implementation of automated systems on land and in the air. 

 

“With its investment in Holo at the beginning of 2023, AMAG made a targeted investment in the development of expertise in connection with the operation of automated systems on land and in the air.”

 

Together, Holo and AMAG will offer their public-sector clients and the private-sector solutions for services involving autonomous vehicles and drones.

 

 

About Holo

 

Holo is the leading implementer, integrator and operator of autonomous vehicles in the Nordics. The company focuses on autonomous vehicles for passenger and freight transport on the ground and logistics drones in the air. Holo’s service portfolio centres on providing advice on customer use cases and the right choice of vehicle, as well as on planning and ensuring the safe commissioning of the systems in close cooperation with the authorities.

 

“Since 2018, the company has already covered more than 100,000 kilometres with autonomous vehicles on eleven different routes in five countries.”

 

– Nanna May Felthaus, COO at Holo

 

 

We spoke to: Nanna May Felthaus

 

Nanna May Felthaus, Chief Operating Officer at Holo


Nanna May Felthaus: The Oslo project aims to demonstrate how autonomous vehicles can be operated safely. Over the course of the project, we will switch to fully driverless operation, which will also involve testing and validating both the safety and functionality of the autonomous technology. It is equally important to develop and test the user’s entire journey as part of the project. We are seeking to find out how passengers in the Grorud Valley, a neighbourhood in the north-east of Oslo, can be offered a safe and seamless public mobility experience.


“We are seeking to find out how residents can be offered a safe and seamless mobility experience using autonomous shuttles.”

– Nanna May Felthaus, COO at Holo

There are many stages and phases involved in implementing autonomous passenger transport projects. Holo offers key insights into various aspects of this development – both in obtaining and maintaining local driving licences and in monitoring and ensuring compliance during operation. We have products developed specifically for this purpose that serve customers, technology suppliers and also the licensing authorities.

We train security staff, we capture data for things such as mapping for autonomous vehicles, we conduct risk assessments and we take care of the vehicle monitoring process. We are also involved in various procedures and processes that are relevant to both day-to-day operations and incident management. Most of these services will also be important for the operation of autonomous vehicle systems in Switzerland. 

We are implementing the Oslo project on behalf of the Norwegian transport provider Ruter. Our customer’s overarching goal is to gradually improve public transport in Oslo. The long-term goal is to increasingly replace private cars with a shared fleet of various autonomous vehicles. 


Studies have shown that this could significantly reduce the size of the vehicle fleet needed to meet the transport needs of Oslo’s citizens. Furthermore, shared use reduces the number of kilometres driven, which reduces traffic pressure in general. At some point, autonomous vehicles could be used throughout the Oslo region. The first step, however, is to prove that the technology is safe and mature enough for scaling. 


“Our vision is to change the way in which we move.”



– Nanna May Felthaus, COO at Holo

We are reaping the benefits of AMAG’s vast expertise – particularly when it comes to designing mobility services for end customers. The partnership also gives us access to a large network of partners, customers and stakeholders who are interested in innovative and sustainable mobility solutions. This will help us to realise our vision of a future with safe, autonomous and renewable mobility.