Autonomous Driving Project U-Shift II: Modular Vehicle Concept for Various Applications in Mobility and Logistics

Whether as an on-demand shuttle, high-tech call bus, flexible distribution center for goods and parcels, or mobile retail shop—the U-Shift II vehicle concept is suitable for various use cases. A central feature is the modular design, which combines a u-shaped drive unit with capsule-shaped structures for transporting people and goods.

Under the leadership of the Institute of Vehicle Concepts at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Research Institute of Automotive Engineering and Vehicle Engines Stuttgart (FKFS), the Institute of Vehicle System Technology (FAST), and the Institute of Information Processing Technology (ITIV) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), as well as the Institute of Measurement, Control, and Microtechnology (MRM) at the University of Ulm, have further developed the U-Shift project.

The research team presented the first drivable, still remotely controlled prototype in 2020 at the annual meeting of the Strategic Dialogue on the Automotive Sector in Baden-Württemberg (Germany). Now, on June 18, 2026, they were able to present the continuation of the development. In the U-Shift II project, they further developed the vehicle concept at key points and tested the necessary technologies.

Focus on Economic Efficiency

The U-Shift concept stands out with its modular design: the vehicle combines the Driveboard, a U-shaped drive unit, with capsule-shaped structures for transporting people and goods. The Driveboard includes the technical components and systems needed to operate autonomously, electrically, and therefore quietly. For maximum efficiency, it is designed to be in use almost around the clock. The significantly cheaper-to-manufacture capsules can be tailored for a wide range of applications.

Automated Driving Maneuvers

The development work focused on the Driveboard and the high-precision maneuvering and coupling of the Driveboard with capsules. These are key functions to make the modular concept feasible. For research purposes, an additional prototype of the Driveboard was built, featuring automated driving capabilities. A battery-electric drive with wheel hub motors is used. This new prototype enabled automated driving maneuvers and demonstrated, for example, the automated exchange of capsules.

Task Distribution Within the Project

The Stuttgart-based DLR Institute of Vehicle Concepts also coordinated the packaging within the project, determining how to accommodate all components in the Driveboard in a space-efficient manner. Additionally, it developed a connector that securely couples and locks the Driveboard and capsule mechanically, while also enabling an electrical and data connection between the two components. Furthermore, various application possibilities for the U-Shift concept were developed, and a project-accompanying dialogue was initiated with citizens to understand their requirements for innovative mobility concepts like U-Shift.

A key focus of the Research Institute of Automotive Engineering and Vehicle Engines Stuttgart (FKFS) was on drivetrain, energy and thermal management, as well as the control and monitoring of all central vehicle functions. The institutes at KIT worked on the vehicle's electrical and electronic components. They enable dynamic over-the-air reconfigurations—such as wireless updates—for a flexible integration of sensors and vehicle functions across various capsule variants. This is crucial to ensure that different Driveboards and capsules work together seamlessly from the start. Additionally, researchers in Karlsruhe developed a chassis with an integrated lifting system for the U-Shift-II prototype, allowing for flexible and quick capsule exchanges without the need for external tools.

The Institute of Measurement, Control, and Microtechnology at the University of Ulm developed the automation of U-Shift, from the distributed sensor concept for the driveboard, capsules, and infrastructure to the flexible motion planning of the vehicle. For the automated capsule changes, these systems must work with high precision, as there is only a few centimeters of tolerance.

Together with the localization and motion control systems developed at FKFS, this enables highly precise maneuvering and docking operations.

From Research to Practice

In the project Innovative Modular Mobility Made in Germany (IMoGer), the U-Shift serves as a mobile platform. "Transporting people in the city during the day and moving goods from A to B at night: the mobile platform U-Shift from DLR enables an innovative mobility concept," outlined Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder as a potential application scenario. "The interchangeable, capsule-shaped structures can transport both people and goods. How this concept becomes a lived reality is now being tested by DLR within our project 'Innovative Modular Mobility Made in Germany' using a test fleet in Braunschweig. With our funding of 35 million euros, we aim to promote more efficient processes, sustainable transport, and maximum economic efficiency. This is how we accelerate the development of autonomous vehicle systems and strengthen Germany as an innovation hub."

From mid-2027, the mobility concept will be tested with the pilot fleet in the Schwarzer Berg district of Braunschweig over several weeks. The DLR vehicles will complement public transport and handle trips in the courier, express, and parcel logistics sector. Companies from the mobility industry, transportation sector, and logistics are also involved in the project.