Public transport trials involve autonomous vehicles navigating through general traffic - Local trial implementing autonomous vehicles within city traffic flow
Autonomous Public Transport Debuts in Southern Hesse
Beginning Monday, autonomous vehicles will transport passengers in the Offenbach district of Hesse, ushering in a novel transport pilot project. Dubbed "Kira," the initiative will be presented in Langen at 10 am, in collaboration with the German Railway and the Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV). This marks the first instance of public transport passengers in Germany riding in such autonomous vehicles.
An onboard safety driver will be present to intervene in emergencies, although the vehicle will handle all driving decisions. The cars can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour in the city and 100 kilometers per hour on highways, according to their statements.
A select group of test passengers will participate in the pilot project, with plans to offer an "on-demand" service within the public transport network (PTN). Similar to services like Uber, passengers can book rides through an app.
The vehicles will operate in a designated area initially covering Langen and Egelsbach, with Darmstadt to be added later. Two cars are currently in operation, with a third available as backup.
"Kira" stands for AI-based regular operation of autonomous on-demand traffic, intended to enhance the attractiveness and flexibility of public transport.
The Kira project is led by Deutsche Bahn (DB) and RMV, with autonomous driving systems from Intel-owned Mobileye and vehicles provided by Nio, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer. The project utilizes six modified first-generation Nio ES8 SUVs, each equipped with advanced sensors and HD maps from Mobileye. These vehicles can operate at speeds up to 130 km/h in regular traffic.
The trial will be funded by approximately 2.2 million euros from the Federal Ministry of Transport and additional funds from RMV, and is planned to run through the end of 2025, with the possibility of extension. The project's goal is to make public transport more appealing and flexible, particularly in less urban areas.
Kira marks the first-time Level 4 automated vehicles are being used with passengers on public roads in Germany. Similar autonomous vehicle projects are currently underway in Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
The Community policy regarding the Kira project, an autonomous public transport initiative in Hesse, includes vocational training for operators to manage emergencies in the self-driving vehicles. This project, a collaboration between Deutsche Bahn (DB), RMV, and other industry partners like Intel-owned Mobileye and Nio, aims to integrate advanced technology in financing, transportation, and vocational training sectors to make public transport more appealing and flexible, especially in less urban areas.
