HERZOGENAURACH (dpa-AFX) - Automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler wants to develop and build a driverless minibus for public transport together with Dutch car and bus manufacturer VDL. The electric minibus with up to nine seats is to be launched on the market in 2025, the two companies announced on Thursday. Talks are already underway with local transport and operating companies for initial pilot projects in public road transport. Schaeffler and VDL plan to present a concept vehicle at the IAA in Munich starting Monday.

Outside rush hours, self-driving minibuses could replace large buses with drivers. Transportation experts expect growing demand for this in many major cities in Europe, North America and Asia. Schaeffler CEO Klaus Rosenfeld said they could "make mobility more accessible to people in cities as well as rural areas." The autonomous driving system for the Schaeffler VDL minibus with cameras, lidar or radar sensors is to be supplied by the Israeli Intel subsidiary Mobileye./rol/DP/jha