SUE (Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle) is an autonomous, fully electric people mover that is shaping the public transport of tomorrow. The vehicle was developed from scratch and is a flagship “Made in Germany” project for technological excellence and sustainable mobility. SUE was initiated and is managed by UE | STUDIOS. The consortium comprises ten partners: DB Regio, ElringKlinger AG, Faissner Petermeier Fahrzeugtechnik AG, TÜV NORD Mobilität, Fraunhofer EMFT, Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences, Lower Saxony Research Center for Vehicle Technology, Kelheim District, and IFG Ingolstadt. The project is funded by the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union, with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as the funding body, based on a resolution of the German Bundestag.
This was for me the 3rd “Shuttle I tested, after the Zoox one and the “Weride” we had the chance to test at SIA VISION 2024 for the people who were there.
SUE Design was orchestrated by project lead Alexander Uedelhoven with who I had the chance to discuss about design… and lighting
Exterior lighting is reduced at a minimum content, without any front & rear signature. “There were some proposals for a defined front and rear visually, but we decided to make the car the front and the rear the same,” explains Uedelhoven. “Because the car is road legal, you do need to have a different lighting setup at each end, so we did that with modular systems that use the same shell but with different inserts.” Similar approach to Zoox I would say. With symmetrical architecture, you can maximize shared components and reduce cost.
No exterior display, no turquoise light as seen on other Shuttle bus like Volvo 360 degree concept or delivery vehicles in China. Focus is on customer interface (Only), not V2X. “The side is the new front”.
Exterior design integrates a 381cm large windshield made of polycarbonate (Covestro Makrolon®). Large glass surfaces deliberately eliminate traditional A-pillars, enabling an exceptionally open perception of the vehicle and improved visual connections between interior, city and surroundings, combined with a 60% weight saving. This transparency enhances passengers’ sense of safety and reinforces the human-centric design approach. Large Makrolon® panoramic front, side and rear windows, together with an expansive Makrolon® roof, create a 360-degree view and a bright, light-filled atmosphere. This innovative polycarbonate solution can also be based on mass-balanced raw materials from post-consumer waste fulfilling future ELV recycling demands.
For the autonomous driving systems, opaque but sensor-transparent Makrolon® AX ST is used for multi-sensor system covers. This innovative solution enables seamless and invisible integration of sensor technology while providing resistance to vandalism and stone impacts.
Let’s move inside. What is super interesting for a lamp engineer is the usage of interior lighting. The core interaction and design element is SUE Ambience – a digital candle. Positioned at every seat, it serves as both a functional and atmospheric centerpiece, combining physical interaction and digital information within a single object.
SUE Ambience replaces conventional displays. When you book your space in the shuttle, you have on your phone a number, a color and your name. On the candle you find the same information. An integrated haptic rotary push controller enables users to operate key functions through a familiar analog gesture combined with deliberately restrained digital feedback. Remaining travel time is displayed via a mechanical minute indicator.
Developed together with the London-based studio Waldemeyer, the digital candle creates a warm, restaurant-like lighting atmosphere that emotionally calms the interior and enhances comfort.
As a summary, the approach for the AD shuttle is different compared to what I have seen before. Focus is not on V2X and exterior display information, focus is on interior lighting with a friendly/warmly approach to be able to communicate with light. This is clearly making the job. You feel like home in the cabin. Relaxed, no stress. In addition with nice CMF material choice, you feel good, ready for a long trip (hope the business model may be viable in the future)
