French Consortium to Deploy Fully Autonomous Public Mini Buses From 2026

A consortium of six major mobility players - Alstom, EasyMile, Equans, Keolis, Renault Group and StatInf - is preparing the launch of a new, zero-emission public transport service at Level 4 of autonomous driving in a city in central France. A fleet of 6-meter driverless electric mini buses will become part of the city of Châteauroux's Métropole public transportation network in 2026.

The service will be integrated into the city's 'Horizon' bus network, and operated by Keolis.  
 
The consortium brings together French leaders in mobility, each contributing its own area of expertise.

Renault Group for the robotised electric minibus platform, EasyMile for the autonomous driving system, StatInf for the validation of critical software elements, Equans for the Computer Aided Dispatch and Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) system, Alstom for the connected safety infrastructure and communication protocols, and Keolis for the operation and maintenance of these new public transport services. 

Benoit Perrin, General Manager of EasyMile, says: "This project is much more than just a technological success. It is a crucial step in demonstrating the value of a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles in a city. By replacing on-board supervizors with remote supervision of multiple vehicles, we will demonstrate the positive economic impact of this type of service. Autonomous technology enables more efficient, accessible and less costly public transportation for communities. This project is a major acceleration in terms of performance and as the consortium coordinator, we are proud to unite the most influential players in the French mobility ecosystem." 

Jean-François Salessy, Director of Advanced Engineering, Renault Group, adds:  "Renault Group embodies a mobility that is reinventing itself. Opportunities have been identified for automated transport services, without an on-board supervizor, in limited and controlled operational areas that meet the expectations of local authorities and the needs of public transport. In this context, using its experience in the field of electric vehicles and in adapting these vehicles to customer needs, Renault Group has committed to the Mach2 R&D project to develop and supply a platform of robotized electric mini buses ready to be driven by autonomous driving solutions and accessible to people with disabilities, to enable players to deploy autonomous zero-emission public transport services.” 

EasyMile’s technology has driven autonomous vehicles in 400+ locations in more than 30 countries.