The world’s first autonomous hydrogen vehicle, created by Estonian company Auve Tech has been showcased in the city of Tartu.

The vehicle is powered by low-temperature hydrogen cells, which were developed at the University of Tartu. Seating up to six passengers, it is primarily aimed at enhancing last-mile transportation. The shuttle can drive without human interference both in public traffic and semiclosed areas. Its movements can be monitored and, if necessary, corrected by remote control.

Its first passenger on the demonstration was Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, who emphasised that the development of a hydrogen shuttle is not only an important milestone in the integration of two promising future technologies, but also marks a major step towards the new reality in which people and innovative scientific solutions meet in everyday life. “No one in the world has dared to spend time and resources on bringing together two parallel developments in transport – autonomous driving and remote control with hydrogen fuel,” she said. “This shows that both technologies are still in an experimental stage. Undeniably, an entrepreneur who combines these two things takes a risk that is not twice but two squared as big. We actually don’t know what exactly our future will be and how soon it will be here. Like always, the problem is not in science or technology, but in the human being.”

(Picture – Auve Tech)