MAN and MVG begin public-road testing of autonomous electric bus on Munich's Line 178
After clearing TÜV and KBA approvals, MAN Truck & Bus and Munich operator MVG have put an automated 12-metre electric bus into real city traffic on Line 178, with passenger test runs planned from November.
- €13 million
- 12 metres
- around 30
- 16
What Happened
MAN Truck & Bus and Stadtwerke München (SWM) together with Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG) have reached what they call a decisive milestone in the MINGA research project, which is led by Munich's mobility department as consortium head. Since early September an automated MAN Lion's City 12 E has been running on Line 178 between Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl, making the 12-metre city bus publicly visible in city traffic for the first time. The vehicle was automated by MAN with its technology partner ADASTEC, which develops software for automated driving at SAE Level 4 for buses and commercial vehicles. MAN says the experience gained in MINGA flows directly into the development of future vehicle generations, and that autonomous systems have big potential to secure and improve mobility services, especially with growing cities and a rising shortage of drivers.
The MINGA research project 'Münchens automatisierter Nahverkehr mit Ridepooling, Solobus und Bus-Platoons' starts, implemented with 16 partners from administration, research and industry and led by Munich's mobility department as consortium leader.
The automated MAN Lion's City 12 E begins operating on Line 178 between Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl, its first public appearance in city traffic.
MVG and MAN are expected to start a further phase with selected test users along Line 178, with the bus running as an extra vehicle on the existing line in a closed user group.
Federal funding of around 13 million euros for MINGA is scheduled to run until then.
- Five LiDAR sensors
- Six radars
- Eight cameras
- Satellite-based positioning
During the current test runs the bus collects the route information needed for autonomous operation, because automated driving requires a highly detailed and extremely precise map of the route. Its sensors record the surroundings, and technology partner ADASTEC integrates relevant road and traffic information such as traffic lights, zebra crossings and lane courses into a high-resolution digital map (HD map) that enables precise localisation along the route. Before entering public roads the automated electric bus completed an extensive test programme on MAN premises, including electromagnetic compatibility testing and validation of all functions of ADASTEC's automated driving system in a large number of defined scenarios. TÜV then performed the required technical inspections, and the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) granted the operating permit under the AFGBV. Safety personnel remain on board at all times and must be able to intervene immediately if a system fails.
Probably from November, MVG and MAN will start a further phase with selected test users along Line 178. The bus will be deployed as an additional vehicle on the existing line and will simulate a later use in regular scheduled service under conditions that are as realistic as possible; selected test users can ride along within a closed user group. The bus offers around 30 seats plus a space for a wheelchair or a pram. Interested people can already register at mvg.de/minga-anmeldung, and MVG will give separate notice of the concrete start of the ride-along offer. Until then specially trained test drivers from MAN and MVG accompany the bus while extensive route data is recorded.
“Autonomous mobility will be part of our transport system of the future. What matters is that we test it under real conditions and gather experience for practical use. With the start of the next test phase, an autonomous solo bus is running in public street space in Munich for the first time. The MINGA project is thereby reaching another milestone and shows how autonomous vehicles can usefully complement public transport and make it more flexible in future. We are supporting this development with around 13 million euros.”
“The findings from the MINGA project are of great importance to MVG as the operator of public transport. They help us better understand the possible uses of autonomous buses in public transport and to assess their potential for passengers and operations. In the long term, we see in autonomous vehicles the chance to make public transport even more attractive, more flexible and more efficient, and so to make an important contribution to the mobility of the future.”
Why this matters
Autonomous buses could help cities keep public transport running as driver shortages grow and cities expand, and this trial puts an automated solo bus into ordinary Munich street traffic rather than a closed site. What MAN, MVG and regulators learn about technology, rules, cost and passenger trust is meant to inform future vehicles and, eventually, regular scheduled service.
Terms in This Story
- MINGA
- The Munich research project 'Münchens automatisierter Nahverkehr mit Ridepooling, Solobus und Bus-Platoons', which works on integrating automated and connected mobility solutions into the existing transport system.
- AFGBV
- Germany's Autonomous Vehicle Approval and Operation Ordinance (Autonome-Fahrzeuge-Genehmigungs-und-Betriebs-Verordnung), the rulebook under which operating permits for automated vehicles are issued.
- LiDAR
- A sensor that uses laser light to measure distances and build a detailed picture of a vehicle's surroundings.
- SAE Level 4
- A level of driving automation in which a vehicle can handle the driving task within a defined area without a human driver.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.