SHOTLIST: MADRID, SPAIN (SEPT. 15, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL) 1. POSTER SHOWING ROUTE OF DRIVERLESS ELECTRIC BUS 2. VARIOUS OF DRIVERLESS ELECTRIC BUS PARKED AT BUS STOP 3. VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS IN BUS 4. FRANCISCO SANCHEZ, DIRECTOR OF ELECTRONICS AND SMART MOBILITY DEPARTMENT AT CTAG, SPEAKING TO REPORTER (Spanish)MADRID, SPAIN - SEPT. 15, 2025: Spain launched its first driverless electric bus project in the capital Madrid, on Monday, Sept. 15, as part of efforts to promote environmentally-friendly and sustainable public transportation. The project, initiated by the Madrid regional government to mark European Mobility Week (Sept. 16–22), saw the first test run of a driverless electric bus at Casa de Campo park. The small shuttle, which operates on a short route with only six stops, has a capacity of 12 passengers. It can normally reach speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour, but during the pilot runs it will be limited to 15 km/h. Its battery allows for 8 to 10 hours of operation. Francisco Sanchez, director of the Electronics and Smart Mobility Department at CTAG, told Anadolu that they developed the vehicle for public transport and now started pilot testing, adding that it is designed for very short distances of 1 to 5 kilometers. Sanchez said similar pilot tests will soon begin at the University of Vigo in northern Spain, adding that these vehicles offer solutions to public transport challenges and will become competitive in the market very soon. He explained that the shuttle is not intended to replace the 12-meter-long city buses currently in service, but could be used in places where large vehicles cannot operate, such as city centers, parks, universities and industrial zones. Due to current regulations in Spain that prohibit fully driverless public transport, a safety supervisor was present during the test run. The Madrid regional government plans to put such driverless electric vehicles into regular service starting in 2026.