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Market in Europe

With over 200,000 city buses operating across Europe, the addressable market for depot automation is substantial. Bus depots range from mega-sites with up to 500 vehicles to numerous smaller city depots with fewer than 100 buses. In practice, most locations fall into this smaller category, which means that an average depot size of around 100 buses is a realistic assumption — translating to roughly 2,000 bus depots in total. Each of these depots faces the same structural challenges: pressure on driver resources, tight space, complex charging and maintenance flows, and rising safety and compliance expectations.

Smartbus Onboard Program

Leading public transport operators across Europe are exploring automated mobility. Our Smartbus Onboard Program is designed to help them get hands-on experience with smartbuses and SmartDEPOT™. The program runs in three clear phases and concludes with a formal tender process. 

Smartbus Ready

Ready PTOs:

MZA Warsaw, MPK Poznan, TMB Barcelona, MZK Jelenia Gora, MPK Gliwice

 

Defined how autonomy will affect depot and fleet operations, ensured alignment with health and safety requirements.

Smartbus Pilot

Pilots by PTOs:

MZA Warsaw, MPK Gliwice

 

Technical validation in operator's own environment: confirmed feasibility, observed real-world performance, and built internal confidence.

Smartbus Tender

Smartbus Tenders:

MZA Warsaw

 

Low-risk operational validation, initially with a single autonomous depot-capable bus to create a scalable reference for future smartbus deployments.

MZA Warsaw Redutowa: The First Depot in Europe Designed for Smartbuses

Already Onboard

Testimonials

Leading European transport operators are already piloting SmartDEPOT™ to turn their depots into reliable, high-performing assets. Early tests show recovered driver hours, safer low-speed maneuvers, and smoother pull-outs — all without major infrastructure changes.

“Autonomy doesn’t replace humans – it genuinely supports them. It allows us to relieve drivers from time-consuming and complex maneuvers at the end of their shifts, which reduces the risk of minor collisions and lowers stress and fatigue. This, in turn, translates into a higher level of safety and comfort for our staff.”
Jan Kuzminski
Jan Kuzminski
President of MZA Warsaw
“The depot is the heart of our daily operations. Every day, hundreds of buses leave from here – they need to be functional, safe, and ready on time. That’s why we’re interested in solutions that genuinely improve our work. SmartDEPOT™ is a technology that meets these needs and aligns with our strategy – from zero emissions to autonomy.”
Krzysztof Dostatni
Krzysztof Dostatni
President of MPK Poznan
“At TMB, we are modernizing our depots to handle the complexity of electric fleets. The smart depot system helps us maximize driver availability, improve operational safety, and keep daily operations running smoothly.”
Mario Canet
Mario Canet
Head of New Developments at TMB Barcelona