For the first time in Germany, passengers are now travelling on Level 4 autonomous shuttles as part of the pioneering KIRA project for autonomous public transport. These shuttles are operating in the Rhein-Main region, specifically in the town of Langen and the municipality of Egelsbach (Offenbach district). Journeys can be booked conveniently via a dedicated app powered by ioki. Registered test users can now book and use the KIRA shuttles. The project is set to expand to parts of Darmstadt in the second half of the year.
KIRA marks Germany’s first project to test Level 4 autonomous vehicles with passengers in public transport. Level 4 signifies that a vehicle can operate autonomously, meaning driverless, within a defined operational design domain. The project name KIRA stands for “AI-based regular operation of autonomous on-demand services.” Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) are leading the initiative.
Political Support and Vision for the Future
Patrick Schnieder, Federal Minister for Transport: “Autonomous driving is a pivotal key technology for innovative, environmentally friendly, and accessible mobility. Our long-term goal is for it to become standard operation across Germany. Through our funding of the KIRA project, we want to inspire local citizens about this technology. They can simply and conveniently be picked up and taken to their destination by autonomous shuttles. This makes autonomous driving tangible and demonstrates how this form of mobility can enhance people’s quality of life in the region.”
Kaweh Mansoori, Hessian Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport, Housing, and Rural Areas: “Hesse is setting standards in utilising future-oriented technologies in the transport sector. With today’s launch of Level 4 autonomous on-demand shuttles in the Offenbach district, we are the first federal state in Germany to grant passengers access to this innovative form of mobility. Our objective is to make public transport attractive and accessible to everyone – especially in suburban and rural areas. Autonomous driving in public transport is a crucial factor in ensuring mobility for all and improving quality of life. Therefore, we are following the KIRA pilot project with great interest – it serves as a blueprint for the mobility of the future.”
Prof. Knut Ringat, CEO of Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund: “In the future, autonomous driving can enable public transport to be offered anytime, anywhere. Rural regions, in particular, will benefit from this. When driverless, flexibly bookable minibuses operate 24/7 where today scheduled buses only run a handful of times a day, public transport becomes available to everyone and significantly more attractive. With the lighthouse project KIRA, we are leading the way and are deploying autonomous vehicles with passengers in regular road traffic for the first time in Germany. We are paving the way to complement and expand public transport services, especially in rural areas, with autonomous on-demand shuttles by the 2030s.”
Evelyn Palla, DB Group Board Member for Regional Transport: “Autonomous driving offers a huge opportunity to make public transport more attractive and at the same time more affordable – especially outside major urban centres. The KIRA project provides an impressive glimpse into what is possible. As a strong partner to the public sector, DB Regio will continue to contribute actively to shaping tomorrow’s public transport.”
Johann Jungwirth, Executive Vice President Autonomous Vehicles at Mobileye: “A safer, more accessible, and more sustainable future of mobility will be achieved through self-driving vehicles. KIRA is a pioneer showing how such a mobility solution can look like in Germany. We are proud that the first test of an autonomous mobility service for public transport in Germany is made possible by Mobileye technology.”
Project Details
The six vehicles operate in the service areas of regional project partners HEAG mobilo and Kreisverkehrsgesellschaft Offenbach (kvgOF). They travel in live road traffic, with the vehicle making all driving decisions. During the testing phase of the KIRA project, a safety driver is always on board. The vehicles’ manoeuvres are monitored by technical supervisory personnel in a control centre.
Autonomous on-demand services have the potential to make public transport more flexible and accessible. These shuttles are ordered as needed (“on-demand”) and can provide improved mobility, particularly in suburban and rural areas. On-demand shuttles with drivers are already operating in ten RMV areas. Autonomous services, operating without on-board personnel, can be increasingly deployed during off-peak hours and in more sparsely populated regions. The intelligent linking of various modes of transport aims to enable seamless door-to-door mobility that is as flexible as owning a private car.
DB Regio Bus Mitte operates the autonomous vehicles. The DB company ioki provides the software for booking and route planning, also integrating software components from various technology partners. Mobileye, another partner, supplies the self-driving technology, HD maps, and specialised sensors.
The test operation is initially scheduled until the end of 2025, with a planned extension. The groundbreaking pilot and research project KIRA receives financial support totalling approximately 2.2 million Euros from the Federal Ministry for Transport (BMV) and the State of Hesse. Research partners in the project include the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV).
How to participate
Citizen, who live close to the KIRA test operation and interested in participating can register and apply on the website www.kira-autonom.de. The selection of actual test users will take place after registration and application, as there is a limited number of spots available.
For further information on the KIRA project and its technology, please visit www.kira-autonom.de.
Copyrights © DB AG/Oliver Lang
