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Report nowA self-driving car is driving through Regensdorf. Raphael Murri, a professor of automotive engineering, is taking part in GO! for the first time in real traffic.
Raphael Murri is an expert in automated driving. The professor of automotive engineering at Bern University of Applied Sciences normally tests such systems on closed-off test tracks. But in Regensdorf, he is experiencing a first: for the first time, he is riding in a self-driving car operating on public roads.
Professor Raphael Murri, an expert in autonomous driving, is testing the technology for the first time on public roads.
Go!
“For me, it’s special to actually be able to drive this on public roads,” says Murri. “We test these kinds of vehicles in a controlled environment. Here, there might be surprises like bicycles, pedestrians, and other road users.”
That is exactly what the “iamo” project is all about. The vehicle is designed to work not only on the test track, but also in everyday life. However, the project is still in the testing phase. That is why there is still a person behind the wheel who can intervene in an emergency. The car drives itself automatically.
As soon as he starts driving, Murri notices that the car doesn’t seem hesitant. “I find the start-up very smooth. It doesn’t wait too long and pulls away quite decisively,” he says. The vehicle follows a set route while responding autonomously to traffic conditions.
For now, there's still someone behind the wheel who can step in if necessary. Eventually, though, there won't be anyone in the driver's seat anymore.
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Things get particularly exciting when an obstacle appears. The car has to decide whether it can swerve around it. A truck has stopped on the road.
“This is definitely not a situation that was programmed in,” says Murri. “The car basically did exactly what we would have done: It analyzed the situation, saw that there was an obstacle it could drive around, and realized nothing was coming toward it. It signaled, then drove right past it. Perfect.”
However, the drive isn’t entirely without criticism. When turning right, the expert feels the car could merge into traffic a bit more briskly. He also thinks it’s almost too cautious at traffic lights. “He’s driving very defensively,” says Murri. “At the traffic light, where he stops a car length before the line, I’d get a little nervous driving behind him.”
The self-driving car is programmed for safety and therefore stops at the traffic light, keeping a very safe distance.
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Still, Murri feels safe. The vehicle feels confident and not unstable. It’s simply clearly designed with safety in mind. “It drives very smoothly and cautiously. It checks things out thoroughly before accelerating again.”
For Murri, the biggest difference compared to a human driver becomes apparent in small, everyday situations. When approaching a driveway or a side street, the car slows down and assesses the situation very carefully.
“As a person, I’d just be ready to go there, but I’d go through with it,” says Murri. “With the vehicle, you can tell that it slows down and doesn’t accelerate again until the situation is 100 percent safe.”
If someone wants to cross the street, the car detects the pedestrian and stops.
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Even at busy intersections, a human driver would often continue driving more smoothly. The self-driving car, on the other hand, slows down and waits until the situation is clear. For Murri, this is understandable, but it doesn't quite feel natural yet.
"Compared to a human driver, the hesitation while driving still bothers me a little," he says.
In China and the U.S., self-driving vehicles are already on public roads. In Switzerland, a more cautious approach is being taken. The intended area of use is also different. The “iamo” project focuses not on large city centers, but on the metropolitan area.
Julian Renninger, project manager at SBB, sees potential precisely there. “We believe this is the ideal application area for the automated vehicles of the future,” he says.
The project is intended primarily to benefit the metropolitan areas, says Julian Renninger, project manager at SBB, that are part of the pilot project.
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He believes that traditional robo-taxis in city centers make only limited sense for Switzerland. Swiss cities, he says, are often densely built, historically shaped, and already have a strong public transit system. “Such vehicles lead to more traffic and get stuck in traffic jams. So they offer no added value.”
The situation may be different in urban areas. There, automated vehicles could fill gaps in public transportation and provide additional service.
The project is currently in the testing phase. In the next phase, the public will be able to try out the vehicle for themselves. For Renninger, this is crucial, because many people remain skeptical as long as they only know the technology from a distance.
“We have a saying here: ‘Riding is believing,’” says Renninger. “Before you try it, there’s often a lot of skepticism and uncertainty. But once you’re out there, it’s clear: Wow, it really works.”
The “iamo” pilot project is expected to be available to the public later this year.
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The project is therefore intended not only to test the technology, but also to spark a discussion. People should be able to experience what automated driving actually feels like.
One situation in particular stands out in Murri’s memory: a group of children standing by the side of the road. For any driver, that’s a moment that calls for extra caution.
“Anyone who drives knows that a group of children standing by the side of the road is unpredictable,” says Murri. “Suddenly one of them darts out, and you have to be ready.” The vehicle handled the situation calmly. Murri is convinced that it would have been able to stop in an emergency. “I was amazed at how well the car handled that.”
Upon reaching his destination, his assessment was positive. “The vehicle is programmed to drive very safely. It also handled tricky situations well.”
Professor Raphael Murri gives a positive assessment of his first automated drive on Swiss roads.
Go!
However, he still notices differences, especially when it comes to choosing a lane: The car drives very precisely down the middle, whereas a human would position the car slightly differently when turning.
Still, the excitement outweighs everything else. “As a tech geek, I’m really happy after a ride like that, because you get to see how it works and how you can use it,” says Murri. “That was really fun.”
It is not yet clear when the project will launch publicly. It is scheduled for this year. By then, there will no longer be a safety driver behind the wheel. Instead, the self-driving cars will be monitored from a control center that can intervene in dangerous or unclear situations.
31.07.2026, 07:00
