First ever ‘robotaxi’ trials with passengers begin in Germany
The KIRA programme is the product of a partnership between Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the Rhein-Main Transport Association, and is the first project in Germany to test Level 4 autonomous vehicles for public transport. Customers can now book and use the shuttles in the city of Langen and the municipality of Egelsbach, with plans to expand the service area to include parts of Darmstadt in second half of the year.
Specifically, DB Regio Bus Mitte have six Nio ES8 electric SUVs equipped with LIDAR sensors, cameras, and software from Mobileye which are now operating across ten areas. These six-seaters are capable of travelling journeys on set routes independently of drivers, and can even travel without passengers. They can navigate through traffic at up to 130km/h in this state, although human drivers must be onboard for the current trials with all maneuvers monitored remotely by a control center.
A press release from Deutsche Bahn states that the services could be used during off-peak times and in sparsely populated areas. DB originally announced the initial first tests back in May 2023, but they didn’t actually begin until mid-2024 due to the insolvency of Clever Shuttle, the former DB subsidiary which was set to be involved.
While DB Regio Bus Mitte are operating the vehicles, a number of other players are involved, including the DB company ioki which provides software for booking and route planning; Mobileye, as mentioned, provides the self-driving technology and sensors; while the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) play a role in the research. KIRA has been backed by €2.2 million in federal and state funding, and is initially set to run until the end of 2025 with plans for an extension.
Kaweh Mansoori, Minister for Economy, Energy, Transport, Housing and Rural Areas in Hessen, called the KIRA pilot a ‘blueprint for the mobility of the future’. He said: “With today’s start of the on-demand shuttles at automation level 4 in the Offenbach district, we are the first federal state in Germany to give passengers access to this innovative form of mobility. Our goal is to make public transport attractive and accessible to all people – especially in the suburban and rural regions.”
Those who are interested in trying out a ride with KIRA for themselves are able to register on the project’s official website. Patrick Schnieder, Federal Minister of Transport, said of the trials: “Autonomous driving is a key technology for innovative, environmentally friendly, and barrier-free mobility. In the long term, it should therefore be part of regular operation throughout Germany. With our support of the KIRA project, we want to inspire local citizens to embrace this technology: They can be picked up easily and conveniently by autonomous shuttles and taken to their destination.
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