KIRA is the first project in Germany to test level 4 autonomous vehicles for public transport with passengers. Level 4 means that a vehicle can move autonomously, i.e. without a driver, within a defined area. The name KIRA stands for 'AI-based regular operation of autonomous on-demand transport'. It is being led by Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV).
Evelyn Palla, DB Board Member for Regional Transport, explains: 'Autonomous driving offers a huge opportunity to make public transport more attractive and affordable, especially outside major urban areas. The KIRA project provides an impressive glimpse of what is possible.'
The six vehicles can travel at speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour in normal traffic. All driving manoeuvres are performed by the vehicle itself. A safety driver is always on board during the KIRA project's trial operation. The vehicles' manoeuvres are monitored by technical supervisory staff in a control centre.
Knut Ringat, Chairman of the Management Board of Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund, adds: 'With autonomous driving, public transport will be available anytime, anywhere in the future. Rural regions will benefit most from this. When driverless, flexible-booking minibuses are on the road 24/7 in areas where buses currently only run a few times a day, public transport will be accessible to everyone and much more appealing."
The autonomous vehicles are operated by DB Regio Bus Mitte. DB subsidiary ioki provides the software for booking and route planning, and also integrates the software components of the various technology partners. Mobileye is another partner, providing self-driving technology, HD maps, and specialised sensor technology. The trial operation is initially scheduled to run until the end of 2025.
