In the coming weeks, those who move around the Vigo university campus will come across a vehicle without a visible steering wheel or a driver in the usual way which will travel the roads silently. This is not a one-off demonstration, but rather a first stable autonomous and connected vehicle service which will operate on a university campus in Spain, designed both for daily transport and for technological experimentation.
This new mobility system comes in the form of electric shuttle, with capacity for eight seats, which It can be used by the entire university community to move between buildings. At the same time, it will transform the Vigo campus into a real-world testing environment for advanced solutions. smart transport, 5G/6G connectivity and cybersecurity, with traffic, pedestrians and changing conditions as a testing ground.
A pioneering pilot project in Spain and a testing ground for smart mobility
The initiative is part of a cybersecurity pilot project for the connected vehicle over 5G network, presented on the campus itself in an institutional event. The rector of the University of Vigo, Manuel Reigosa, participated in the launch; the Minister of Finance and Public Administration of the Xunta, Miguel Corgos; the director of the Automotive Technology Center of Galicia (CTAG), Luis Moreno; and the director of the Agency for Technological Modernization of Galicia (Amtega), Damián Rey, among other representatives.
The vehicle, Designed and developed entirely in Galicia Designed by CTAG, it is equipped to carry up to eight passengers and operate autonomously on a defined route. Its function goes beyond serving as an internal shuttle: it will allow validate automated driving technologiesvehicle-infrastructure communications and protection mechanisms against cyberattacks in an open setting, outside of a closed laboratory.
During the presentation, those responsible for the project agreed that this type of testing places Galicia at the international forefront of smart mobilityThis opens the door to new developments in the field of connected and autonomous vehicles. The experience gained in Vigo will also serve as a reference for other urban and university environments, both in Spain and in the rest of Europe.
In the words of the rector, projects like this allow the University of Vigo to strengthen its role as strategic environment for applied research and technology transfer, thanks to the continued collaboration with agents of the Galician innovation ecosystem.
Start-up, route and daily operation of the service
The expectation is that the shuttle It will begin regular operations on February 2nd.Following a symbolic launch with a short route between the School of Telecommunications Engineering and Erasmo Square, authorities and technical staff participated in the inaugural trip and gave the experience a very positive assessment.
The service will initially operate as a pilot program. until JuneThroughout those five months, the vehicle will travel following a fixed circuit of about 3 kilometers in lengthDesigned to connect the busiest points on campus, it can be used by any member of the university community in their daily routine to link buildings and faculties.
The tour includes six planned stopsThe Rectorate/Library, Faculty of Economics, Citexvi, Experimental Sciences, Cintecx, and School of Telecommunications Engineering are all located here. This layout allows for coverage of both teaching areas and research and service areas, so that potential users include students, teaching and research staff, and administrative and service personnel.
During the testing period, the following will be collected Detailed data on peak hours, waiting times and occupancyThe aim is to adjust the service frequency and, if necessary, make changes to the route or stops. The intention is to adapt the actual operation to the usage patterns observed among the university community.
Although the vehicle operates autonomously, the pilot's design takes into account that There should always be a supervisor present on boardThis professional is responsible for supervising the correct functioning of the system, intervening in any incident, and ensuring the safety of passengers while data is collected and driving algorithms are refined.
Cybersecurity, 5G/6G and open lab on the Vigo campus
The connected autonomous vehicle project is part of Territorial Networks of Technological Specialization Program (Retech)This is a cooperative initiative that promotes the creation of advanced infrastructure and use cases in various regions. In Vigo, the focus is on cybersecurity applied to connected mobility and next-generation communications.
Thanks to a specific agreement, the University of Vigo (UVigo), the Automotive Technology Center of Galicia (CTAG), Amtega, the Technological Institute of Galicia (ITG) and the Gradiant technology center participate in this pilot. These five entities work in a coordinated manner in activities related to cybersecurity, vehicle connectivity and smart transportation.
Within the framework of this agreement, UVigo is raising a laboratory specializing in 5G/6G communications and cybersecurityIt is conceived as an open experimentation space for third parties. The idea is that companies, research groups, and other organizations can test solutions and best practices in realistic environments, using both the campus and the autonomous vehicle as a testing platform.
This laboratory will be supported by a experimental 5G and 6G connectivity network that will cover the entire campusproviding the shuttle with a direct, high-capacity connection. The vehicle will integrate different equipment and payloads to test multiple scenarios: from vehicle-to-infrastructure communications to remote monitoring, and more. detection systems and response to possible intrusion attempts.
The project managers emphasize that these tests They will not compromise the security of the service or the users at any time.The architecture is designed so that experiments are run in a controlled manner, isolating critical components that affect driving and braking, while testing defense and resilience mechanisms against cyber threats.
Investment, institutional support and the Galician innovation ecosystem
The pilot project for the connected autonomous vehicle on the Vigo campus is one of the pieces of a broader strategy promoted by the Xunta de Galicia to Develop a network of cybersecurity laboratories applied to transportationWithin this framework, an investment of approximately 8,5 million euros has been committed, of which around 75% comes from the regional government through Amtega.
As the Finance Minister explained, this public support aims to to promote digitalization and innovation in a key sector such as automotivewhich accounts for a significant portion of Galicia's economic weight. The automotive industry and its value chain represent more than 15% of Galicia's GDP, generate an annual turnover of nearly €13.000 billion, and account for more than 30% of the region's exports.
CTAG, for its part, contributes the experience accumulated in the development of automated vehicles and advanced assistance systemsThe shuttle that will travel around the Vigo campus is a new use case for a platform that has already been tested in other controlled environments, and which now takes a further step by integrating into the daily life of a university space.
The technology center insists that the Cybersecurity is an essential pillar for the deployment of autonomous and connected drivingIt's not just about vehicles making decisions safely, but also about ensuring that communications with infrastructure, cloud servers, or other vehicles are protected against unauthorized access and external attacks.
The institutions involved agree that the Vigo project demonstrates the capacity of the Galician ecosystem to Lead strategic initiatives in smart mobility, 5G and digital security, competing in areas where powers such as the United States, Germany, France or Japan have traditionally excelled.
DGT authorization and previous experience in open environments
One of the outstanding features of this autonomous shuttle is that it is the first vehicle of its kind in Spain to have the seal of approval from the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) for operation in open environments. This certification allows it to circulate outside of completely closed circuits, respecting traffic regulations and coexisting with other road users.
Thanks to this authorization, the vehicle has already been featured a first pilot test in the Casa de Campo in MadridIn a shorter deployment than the one now planned for Vigo, that experience served to measure the system's performance in an urban park environment with pedestrians, bicycles, and other service vehicles.
The move to the Vigo university campus represents, according to the technical managers, a intermediate step between controlled trials and a fully integrated service in the cityThe university area offers a combination of internal traffic, shared roads, pedestrian crossings and intense flows at certain times of day, elements that are very useful for refining autonomous driving models.
The CTAG technicians point out that this experience helps to demonstrate that Innovation in autonomous mobility is also being developed from Galiciawithout relying solely on major international hubs. The medium-term goal is for these types of solutions to evolve into broader public transport services, once safety and public acceptance are established.
Retech and the four main lines of work at UVigo
The participation of the University of Vigo in the Retech program is not limited to the autonomous vehicle, but is organized in four major areas of technological actionThey are all related to data protection, advanced connectivity, and the application of new technologies to the industrial and transport sectors.
One of the lines focuses on Integrate quantum key distribution (QKD) technologies into 5G and 6G infrastructureswith the aim of securing communications against risks associated with future quantum computing. Another line of research focuses on the connected industry, seeking to guarantee secure, real-time operations on next-generation networks deployed in production environments.
The third line focuses on the use of Artificial intelligence to optimize connectivity and strengthen security of communications, both in mobile networks and distributed architectures. The fourth is directly linked to the vehicular communication technologieswhere the autonomous shuttle service on campus fits perfectly.
The Vigo campus thus becomes a major testing ground for intelligent transport and cybersecuritywhere use cases combining advanced networks, connected vehicles, AI algorithms, and cryptographic protection mechanisms can be deployed. The data collected during the vehicle's months of operation will serve both to improve the service itself and to further these lines of research.
With the entry into operation of the connected autonomous vehicle, the Vigo campus takes a qualitative leap and positions itself as a real environment where next-generation mobility is tested on the street, with everyday users and under changing conditions, consolidating Galicia as one of the European benchmarks in the intersection between automotive, telecommunications and cybersecurity.
