The issues and challenges surrounding rural mobility had already been addressed in specialist presentations at the launch event ‘New Mobility in Rural Areas’, held on 29 March 2025 at the Kranenburg Community Centre. The next step was to involve local residents. Under the motto ‘Away from dry theory, towards a practical experience’, people were now able to experience the MONOCAB first-hand. On 23 May, two coaches set off on a day trip from the Lower Rhine to the Extertal, in the Lippische Bergland region between the Weserbergland and the Teutoburg Forest. There, the gyroscopically stabilised MONOCAB was to demonstrate its suitability for everyday use on a test section.
The aim of the day trip was to demonstrate the potential of autonomous monorail vehicles for the reactivation of disused railway lines – including cross-border routes between Germany and the Netherlands. Guests from the Kleve–Nijmegen border region watched with great interest the live demonstration of the innovative MONOCAB technology, which is being developed primarily by Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences.
The event was open to anyone interested in new forms of mobility for rural areas. The offer of a test ride on a MONOCAB was aimed in particular at groups of people who do not have unrestricted access to a car, such as schoolchildren, older people or those with disabilities. The invitation was also extended to residents living along the disused Kleve–Groesbeek railway line, particularly those living on the Dutch side of the border. Numerous guests, including some from the Netherlands, took up the offer. “I was sceptical at first. That’s also why I thought the research project’s offer was a really good idea – the chance to experience the technology first-hand,” said one passenger afterwards. “Riding in the MONOCAB was a great experience; I’d love to see something like this in everyday life in the Lower Rhine region.”
The scientific director of the MONOCAB Rijn-Waal project at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr Ralf Klapdor, hosted the event together with mobility expert Ruben Loendersloot from Nijmegen in the Netherlands, as well as a dedicated group of supporters from the region. “MONOCABs offer a realistic prospect for regions with limited public transport coverage – particularly where traditional rail services cannot be revived economically or would not be accepted by the local population,” emphasised Prof. Klapdor. The planned operations on the disused line between Kleve and Groesbeek represent a promising pilot project for the mobility of tomorrow.
It is also important to address scepticism towards technological innovations. As part of the research project, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences is therefore also investigating the social acceptance of this forward-looking technology. Through extensive surveys, the researchers are seeking to determine the conditions under which a new technology – such as the autonomous, AI-controlled MONOCAB vehicle – might be accepted by users. The surveys are currently being analysed. Results are expected later this autumn. One researcher involved has already reported that many passengers described having positive impressions afterwards. Initial concerns ultimately proved, for the most part, to be unfounded. There are already signs here that trying out new technologies first-hand can foster acceptance. This is an approach that the research project intends to pursue further.
The event was seen not only as a technical presentation but also as an important catalyst for cross-border cooperation. Andreas Lietschulte, co-initiator and representative of the support group for the reactivation of the Kleve–Nijmegen railway line, emphasised the project’s importance for barrier-free, environmentally friendly and staff-independent mobility in rural areas. A pilot project for the 2029 State Garden Show in Kleve is being considered. The successful demonstration in Extertal marked a significant step towards a sustainable mobility transition – across national borders.
