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2d ago

Germany Expands Level-4 Transit Trials With Kira in Darmstadt and First Large Autonomous Bus Set for Sept. 15

Operators cite autonomous fleets to ease a looming bus‑driver shortfall.

Steffen Krach (SPD, r-l), Regionspräsident der Region Hannover, Patrick Schnieder (CDU), Bundesminister für Verkehr, und Elke Maria van Zadel, Vorstand von Uestra, fahren mit einem autonomen Linienbus.
In der Region Hannover startet der Testbetrieb des ersten großformatigen autonomen Linienbusses im Straßenverkehr in Deutschland.
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Overview

  • DB/RMV’s Kira on‑demand service now includes parts of Darmstadt, offering app‑booked Level‑4 rides that serve key stops such as the main station and accept more than 1,000 registered test users.
  • The six Mobileye‑equipped Nio ES8 vehicles run with a safety driver and control‑center oversight, have surpassed 60,000 kilometers in testing, operate on limited mid‑week hours, and receive about €2.2 million from federal and state funds.
  • Üstra will begin passenger testing of the large Karsan line bus in Burgdorf near Hannover on September 15 under Level‑4 conditions with trained safety staff on board.
  • The Albus project is budgeted at up to €6.3 million, including roughly €3.7 million in federal support, with free rides available to registered adult volunteers via Üstra.
  • PwC counts roughly 15 German cities with autonomous bus pilots, yet no Level‑4 type approval has been issued, and the VDV urges moving from scattered tests to regular operations to confront a shortfall projected to exceed 50,000 bus drivers by 2030.