BENTELER Group acquires Frankfurt’s ioki to build Europe’s first integrated autonomous public transport platform

Salzburg-based BENTELER Group has signed an agreement to acquire Frankfurt’s mobility software provider ioki from Deutsche Bahn. The transaction is expected to close in the near future.

With this acquisition, BENTELER subsidiary HOLON, ioki, and Benteler Mobility form the first European full-service provider for autonomous mobility. As part of this deal, HOLON will manufacture the autonomous HOLON urban shuttle, ioki will provide platform and routing technology for on-demand services and integration with public transport, and Benteler Mobility will deliver operational services and fleet financing for autonomous vehicle deployments.

HOLON is an OEM for autonomous movers. It is a subsidiary of the BENTELER Group and a Saudi Arabia-based investment company, TASARU. Benteler Mobility provides a transportation-as-a-service platform that covers services required to implement and operate autonomous mobility, including vehicle acquisition, asset financing, maintenance and repair, and fleet operations.

“This integrated approach is unique in our industry. It radically simplifies the deployment and operation of autonomous vehicles for customers. Alongside our core business in metal processing, BENTELER is thus strategically evolving into a leading provider in the autonomous mobility sector,” said Ralf Göttel, CEO of the BENTELER Group. 

Founded in 2018, ioki is a digital mobility company and a key player for on-demand transport in the DACH region. In cooperation with partners, the company offers data-based mobility analysis, digitalisation of mobility, and operational implementation. It claims to have deployed its on-demand software in around 200 flexible transport services, and has served nearly 10 million passengers. 

As an example of the potential benefits of the collaboration, ioki stated in the press release, “Data-driven analyses and simulations by ioki, for example, identify potential areas where autonomous vehicles such as the HOLON urban can meaningfully complement and enhance public transport. Both the software and the vehicle are scalable and designed to work seamlessly together. This enables municipalities and operators to significantly reduce costs while simplifying the introduction of autonomous mobility services.”

According to ioki, this acquisition also allows access to international markets. “As part of the BENTELER Group, we can further strengthen and scale the market leadership of our successfully established software and analytics products on an international level,” said Michael Barillère-Scholz, co-founder and CEO of ioki. 

BENTELER is a global company operating in the automotive, energy and mechanical engineering sectors. As metal processing specialists, it develops, produces and distributes safety-related products, systems, and services. It employs more than 20,000 people across nearly 90 locations worldwide.

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