If you are traveling by public transport on a bike vacation, you know the problem. The leg from the train or bus station to your vacation home is the most arduous, as you have a lot of luggage with you - especially if you're traveling as a family - but can't take the local bus or a cab because of your bike. So you're either riding with a heavy backpack or pushing the bike and lugging a heavy wheeled suitcase at the same time; neither of which is a relaxed start to your vacation.

The solution to this problem is called Robi and is a luggage robot, with which PostBus Switzerland is testing a service that has long been an obvious choice in view of the technical possibilities. Robi has been riding autonomously through Saas Fee since October 19 and will continue to do so until November 19. It follows the person who has loaded the luggage on sidewalks and through pedestrian zones. The vehicle is accompanied by a person who, according to a press release from PostBus, is responsible for safety, observing users and collecting their feedback, as well as drawing the attention of potential customers to the service.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to pedal alongside the vehicle on the road during autonomous operation. However, pushing the bike on the sidewalk while your luggage follows behind is a relief. This will also be the case in the second test phase in summer 2022. The luggage robot will then be remote-controlled to simulate autonomous operation, while real self-driving is not yet permitted in public spaces in Switzerland.

An entirely different question is whether such a service can be implemented on a large scale at all. Roads and sidewalks are already narrowed by free-floating e-scooters. If, for example, half of the omnipresent electric vehicles in the car-free vacation resort were to be replaced by such self-propelled luggage carriers, there could be congestion in the pedestrian zone. Where pedestrians meander past each other, intelligent machines would have to stop constantly to avoid collisions. The robot traffic jam would certainly be a funny picture.

But that's a long way off yet. For now, you can enjoy the sight of the mini Postbus in Saas Fee. Unfortunately, there is only one Robi in this test phase. One day it should be possible to reserve it via an app. During this test phase, you can register your interest in the services of the luggage robot at the PostBus office in the same way.

Further information on the project at postauto.ch and saasfee.ch