Starting in autumn 2026, the Munich Transport Company (MVG) plans to test a MAN electric city bus equipped with an Automated Driving System in Munich’s city traffic. MAN has developed the automated bus in collaboration with its technology partner ADASTEC. Extensive testing is currently underway at the MAN Truck & Bus premises.
Following testing on MAN’s premises, the automated electric bus is set to operate on Munich’s public roads – initially without passengers. These runs will serve as a final test phase under real-world conditions. In autumn, MVG plans to launch the official pilot operation with a closed user group. “The vehicle will, among other things, steer, accelerate, brake, and signal independently. A safety driver will be on board to monitor the systems,” explains Dr. Michael Roth, Head of Bus Strategy and Product Strategy Bus at MAN. When and under what conditions passengers will be able to ride along will be announced in due course according to MAN. The bus is a Lion’s City 12 E equipped with an Automated Driving System (ADS) integrated into the vehicle’s electronic architecture. The vehicle has five LiDAR sensors, six RADARs, eight cameras, and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). Initial test drives are currently taking place on the MAN premises, during which specific driving manoeuvres – such as approaching bus stops – are being tested. The MINGA research project (Munich’s Automated Local Transport with Ridepooling, Solobus, and Bus Platoons) has been underway since 2023 with a total of 16 partners from public authorities, research institutions, and industry. The Mobility Department of the City of Munich serves as the consortium leader and is responsible for the
overall project. The goal is to integrate automated and connected mobility solutions into the existing transportation system and to address key questions regarding technology, regulation, cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and operations. The project is being funded with approximately 13 million euros through mid-2027 by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) under the funding guideline “Autonomous and Connected Driving in Public Transportation.” Germany’s Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder: “Autonomous driving is a key to the mobility of the future. Above all, it stands for greater efficiency and greater inclusion for citizens in road traffic. Projects such as MAN’s fully electric, automated city bus in Munich are therefore groundbreaking for public transportation in Germany. We expressly support such initiatives. Pioneering work is being done here that will have an impact far beyond the region and the city of Munich.” The findings from the MINGA project are directly incorporated into the further development of future vehicle generations. MAN has been working on driverless buses for years and plans to launch a fully automated vehicle at SAE Level 4 in the next decade – for urban mobility that is emission-free, connected, and automated. ADASTEC develops SAE Level 4 (fully automated) automated driving software platform for buses and commercial vehicles.