Innovation projects

Barcelona welcomes a new player in sustainable and innovative mobility: the autonomous bus. This vehicle is 100% electric, measures 8 meters in length, and stands out for its ability to operate without human intervention thanks to its Level 4 automated driving technology.

The bus, manufactured by the Turkish company Karsan, is a model called Autonomous e-ATAK. It has a capacity of up to 52 passengers and is equipped with the FLOWRIDE.IA automation system developed by ADASTEC. The vehicle offers a range of up to 300 kilometers on a single charge thanks to its high-efficiency lithium batteries. Its design allows it to detect all objects around it, interpret traffic signals, and navigate the urban environment along a predefined route.

The pilot test of this autonomous vehicle was carried out in Montjuïc, where the bus operated for ten days. Although local regulations require the presence of a driver on board, the vehicle is fully capable of driving autonomously. In addition, its system includes remote and satellite monitoring to continuously track the route and the vehicle’s operations.

For more information, visit TMB News.

At the end of 2025, TMB installed smart bus stops across its network, a project launched by the Barcelona Innova Lab Mobility. This technology makes it possible to collect real-time data to improve service quality and the user experience. In addition, it provides information on passenger behavior, unauthorized occupations in bus lanes, and other variables that affect the operation of the network.

Smart bus stops represent a step forward in the innovation and digitalization of public transport in Barcelona. With more than 100 lines and 750,000 daily validations, the bus network is one of the fundamental pillars of metropolitan mobility.

The first trial of this technology was carried out at about fifteen bus stops throughout the city. The project was presented at the international Tomorrow Mobility World Congress and will last for twelve months, during which data will be collected and analyzed to study new applications and improve the technology applied to the network.

For more information, visit TMB News.

As part of its commitment to universal accessibility, TMB has developed technological support tools for people with disabilities: for example, the Sigthos programme, which facilitates access to customer service centres for people with hearing impairments; the Avicus portable alert device, which warns visually impaired people about construction works in the metro, or magnetic induction loops, available in the Barcelona Bus Turístic audio guides for people with hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Another project aimed at improving the independence of users with visual impairments is the implementation of NaviLens smart tags in the metro and on buses. The aim of this technology is to guide users accurately throughout the public transport network by scanning these tags with a mobile application. The tags contain a new type of QR code known as ddTags.

Through the Bus Stop Guidance Options in the TMB App, when a visually impaired person wants to board a bus, they can select the line and destination using their mobile device, which detects the first bus arriving at their stop.

More information is available in the Accessibility and Reduced Mobility section.

Line H16 was the first to be fully converted to zero emissions in the city, in 2021. At the beginning of 2023, line V15 was also converted.

In addition to being equipped for rapid on-route charging, the vehicles incorporate significant technological advances and represent a major step forward in environmental performance and in the safety standards of urban public transport.

The buses are equipped with a folding pantograph on the roof that connects to rapid charging points located at the ends of the route. Through the pantograph, the vehicles can charge, during layover time, enough energy to complete the journey to the terminal at the opposite end. Rapid on-route charging is combined with slow overnight charging at the depot, where the corresponding equipment has also been installed. This ensures that the buses are autonomous and fully operational throughout the day without the need for bulky and heavy batteries.

In addition to the dual charging system, the buses incorporate significant technological innovations aimed at improving safety and sustainability:

• Replacement of rear-view mirrors with an intelligent camera system that assists the driver with external visibility; the Solaris model also includes ultrasonic proximity sensors at the rear.
• 270° perimeter vision system to facilitate low-speed manoeuvres.
• Lightweight aluminium wheels to reduce energy consumption and improve durability.
• In the Irizar model, a translucent articulated gangway that brings light to an area of the interior that is usually opaque.
• In the Solaris model, automatic lights and intelligent windscreen wipers.
• Additionally, the vehicles are equipped with the Mobileye system.

Like all articulated buses, they feature the following comfort and accessibility characteristics:

• Four doors, allowing simultaneous boarding through the two front doors.
• Facilities for people with reduced mobility: reserved spaces, retractable ramp, buttons for visually impaired passengers, non-slip low floor.
• Smart door-opening buttons.
• USB connectors for charging mobile devices and public WiFi.
• Air conditioning.

In terms of comfort, electric traction also ensures smooth and quiet operation.

Barcelona is one of ten European cities that conducted trials with electric buses as part of the ZeEUS Project (Zero Emission Urban Bus System), funded by the European Union and coordinated by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). The aim of the trials was to develop 100% electric high-capacity vehicles. In addition to Barcelona, cities such as London, Glasgow, Stockholm, Münster, Bonn, Pilsen and Cagliari also took part.

Barcelona’s participation in this research and development project consisted of introducing four zero-emission electric buses with two different technologies into regular TMB service. Specifically, two standard i2e model buses by Irizar, equipped with overnight-charging batteries, and two articulated Solaris Urbino 18e buses, equipped with batteries that are charged at the terminal during the day.

The first phase of testing took place in 2014 with the Irizar i2e buses. In September 2016, the charging station and the first articulated Solaris Urbino electric buses under trial were presented, and they began operating with passengers on line H16 on 30 January 2017. Line V15 was fully electrified on 14 March 2023, so at the beginning of that year two of the highest-capacity lines were already 100% electric, with a total of 88 vehicles.

These articulated vehicles, powered by 270 kW motors, operate throughout the day thanks to the battery charging system. The batteries are charged using a pantograph located on the roof of the vehicle, at a station in Zona Franca situated just a few metres from one of the line’s terminals. In an interval of between 5 and 8 minutes, up to 80% of the battery is charged, which is sufficient for the buses to complete another journey.

Endesa collaborated on this project by installing and managing the charging points. The related studies will make it possible to design the infrastructure required for the electrification of Barcelona’s bus fleet, which is expected to reach 100 vehicles in 2024.

TMB’s participation in the ZeEUS project trials forms part of TMB’s environmental policies. With the incorporation of electric vehicles into the bus fleet, we continue to move forward in improving the environment and achieving the goal of fully clean public transport.

The ZeEUS project concluded on 20 March 2018 after having given a significant boost to 100% electric buses. The closing event was held in Brussels, where the results of the different zero-emission bus solutions tested in European cities, including Barcelona, were presented.

For more information, you can consult the articles on electric buses on the TMB news website and the ZeEUS Project dossier on Slideshare.

TMB is one of the 39 partners from 12 different countries participating in the ASSURED project, which focuses on the electrification of urban transport vehicles through advanced rapid-charging solutions. The main objective of the project is to promote zero-emission urban fleets using this system.

ASSURED is a project co-funded by the European Union, coordinated by the Free University of Brussels and led by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). Participants include transport authorities and operators, vehicle manufacturers, electricity providers and charging infrastructure suppliers, as well as various associations, consultancy firms and municipalities.

With the aim of supporting the adoption of zero-emission electric traction by commercial and passenger vehicle fleets, the project is based on the following pillars:

• Development of next-generation modular high-power charging solutions (up to 600 kW).
• Interoperable and scalable high-power charging solutions.
• Development and testing of efficient wireless charging solutions of up to 100 kW.
• Assessment of cost, energy efficiency and impact on the electricity grid.

• Testing of the solutions developed under ASSURED on five public transport buses, in accordance with TRL 7 definition, in European Union cities.

• Support for standardisation bodies (for example, CEN-CENELEC, ISO and IEC).
• Standard compliance and interoperability testing protocol.

Within the project, UITP leads the activities related to electric buses and coordination with end users. Barcelona is participating in the second phase, together with Osnabrück (Germany), in testing interoperability between buses and chargers from different manufacturers in real operating conditions. Gothenburg will carry out similar tests with buses and trucks, and Eindhoven will pilot smart charging for a large-scale fleet.

Automation is the future trend for metro networks, due to safety, reliability, flexibility and cost efficiency. Barcelona features lines 9 and 10, the driverless reference lines in Europe, which include train control and supervision technology, station architecture, and innovative operational management. In addition, it also has line 11, a conventional line that has been automated.

Find out more in the Automatic Metro section.

Since July 2014, the Passeig de Gràcia metro station on line 3 has operated as a small smart city. Throughout the day, factors such as temperature, humidity, external weather conditions, and passenger volume are monitored. Based on this data, the station’s subsystems—such as lighting, escalators, and ventilation—are adjusted. These systems are designed to reduce energy consumption without the user noticing.

This is an initiative of the European collaborative project SEAM4US, co-funded by the European Union’s 7th Framework Programme (FP7).

If the experiment produces positive results, it is planned to study the possibility of implementing it in other stations across the metro network, provided it represents a minimal investment. This project forms part of TMB’s environmental policies, which we balance with the operational needs of our service.

More information is available on the TMB Notícies website.

It is the brain and the heart of the metro network; it is the place from which the regularity and proper functioning of the network are monitored day and night, for both conventional and automated lines. Using radio and video communication systems, and with the help of remote controls, train movements, station equipment, power and ventilation are coordinated, incidents are resolved, and passengers are kept informed.

For more information, consult the document The Barcelona Metro Control Center provided below.

We take advantage of technological advances to help you save time and plan your journeys by bus and metro, whether you are using the metro and bus networks or accessing information from home or on the street:

• How to get there: an interactive tool that helps you plan your journeys on public transport. Learn how Journey Planner works.
• iBus Next bus: this real-time information tool uses data from the bus system to calculate how many minutes remain until the next bus arrives at your stop. Information about iBus Next bus.
• iMetro Next train: provides real-time information on the minutes and seconds until the next two metro trains in each direction arrive at the selected station. Information about iMetro Next train.
• TMB App: a mobile application that helps you navigate public transport. It offers many personalization options through the JoTMBé user profile and allows you to purchase tickets online quickly and conveniently. Information about TMB App.
• TMB web: provides route planning tools such as Journey Planner, shows service disruptions, informs about different tickets and fares, and allows customer service procedures through various forms. The website contains all the information needed for both regular users and visitors to the city, as well as all corporate information about the company. It can be accessed from any device and is also fully accessible.
• Social networks: TMB users can follow us through our various social media accounts, whether to receive real-time service updates, learn more about the city’s transport system, stay informed about news, or interact with us.

The bus network operated by TMB has various information systems available on site and in real time for users, helping to improve the travel experience.

• Information screens: the screens at bus stops, also known as User Information Screens (PIU), display the arrival times of the different buses serving that stop, as well as any service disruptions or other relevant information.
• On-board information systems: once on the bus, depending on the type of vehicle, users can stay informed thanks to the User Information Screens, which show the next stop and available connections with other bus and metro lines. This system provides information both visually and audibly.
• Solar posts: solar posts have a self-sufficient energy system that provides real-time information on the arrival of the next bus using solar panels.

The metro network operated by TMB has various information devices that help improve the travel experience for users.

• Information screens: the metro network features passenger information systems with illuminated panels on platforms, concourses, and access points. These screens display the time remaining until the next train arrives, as well as any service disruptions or other relevant information.
• On-board information systems:users can stay informed while on the train thanks to the User Information System screens, which provide visual and auditory information, including the name of the next stop and the line route, along with available connections to other public transport services.

With JoTMBé, TMB metro and bus users can always have all the information they need for their public transport journeys at their fingertips. The system can be accessed from any device: via the TMB website on a computer, from a mobile phone or tablet, or by downloading the TMB App.

JoTMBé offers users:

• A personal space within the website, specifically designed to manage preferences based on the most frequently used routes.
• Direct checking of whether there are any incidents affecting the lines they use regularly.
• Creation of service alerts by email, keeping users informed of planned disruptions on lines, at bus stops, and at metro stations saved as favorites. The application provides advance information on alternative transport options.
• The ability to save frequently used locations and routes and consult them on the website or app with a single click. The application also quickly shows recommended public transport routes and locates the nearest bus or metro stops to a given address.
• Receiving information on significant service disruptions on bus and metro lines, opportunities to earn rewards through the JoTMBé Points Program, and receiving a periodic electronic newsletter with information about TMB and public transport.
• The option to purchase tickets quickly and conveniently through the TMB App.