Alsa has begun operating the first on-demand autonomous bus service at Mercamadrid, offering a new mobility solution for the thousands of employees and visitors who travel around the site every day.

The zero-emission electric bus operates at Level 4+ autonomous driving, with an operator currently on board, and can carry more than 30 passengers. Developed over two years by Alsa’s Engineering, Innovation and Digitalisation teams, together with Madrid City Council’s Digital Office and vehicle manufacturer Otokar, it combines autonomous driving with 5G connectivity and on-demand technology.

During Mercamadrid’s busiest hours, from 4:30am to 9:00am, the bus runs to a fixed schedule. Between 9:00am and 10:30am, passengers can request a journey through the Alsa Mobilities app, selecting their stops and preferred travel time. The system then consolidates passenger requests to create the most efficient route, which the bus follows autonomously.

Mercamadrid is Spain’s largest food logistics and distribution platform, with around 9,000 employees and some 20,000 people and 15,000 vehicles entering the site each day. The autonomous service is coordinated with EMT Madrid bus routes connecting Mercamadrid with the city centre, helping to create a more integrated transport network.

The initiative forms part of the European MobilitiesForEU project led by the Madrid City Council through its Digital Office and Mercamadrid, in collaboration with Alsa. It builds on Alsa’s experience operating an autonomous shuttle at the Autonomous University of Madrid since 2020. It is another step in Alsa’s work to develop innovative, sustainable and increasingly flexible public transport solutions through collaboration with cities and public authorities.