12-metre autonomous electric bus running tests with passengers in Munich
The MINGA project —short for "Munich's automated public transport with ridepooling, solo buses, and bus platoons"— is about to reach a decisive milestone: Starting November 17, test users will be able to ride in an autonomous electric MAN bus. Over 2,000 people have made pre-registrations for a test ride so far.
Image: MAN
The MINGA research project has been running in Munich since 2023. Managed by the Mobility Department of the City of Munich, the project is funded with approximately €13 million from the German Federal Ministry of Transport. The project is now entering a new phase, in which the public will be able to use autonomous mobility solutions. This includes autonomous on-demand vehicles based on the VW ID. Buzz that have already been tested on public roads — albeit without passengers.
Another key element of MINGA is an autonomous electric bus based on the MAN Lion’s City E, which has been undergoing road tests and, at the beginning of September, began trial operations in public road traffic in Munich. Equipped by partner Adastec with five LiDAR sensors, six radars, eight cameras, and satellite positioning, the MAN Lion’s City 12 E has since been operating on route 178 between Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl—though not yet in regular scheduled service. Instead, it runs on the regular route but without passengers on board.
Test users on board from 17 November
The necessary route information for autonomous operation was collected during the initial test drives conducted by MAN, MVG, and SWM. Now, the project has reached the stage where the first test users can come on board. Starting on 17 November, passengers will be able to ride the autonomous MAN e-bus between the Munich districts of Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl. The test drives will take place from Monday to Friday.
“With the first test rides, passengers can now experience our technology in everyday use. This is a decisive step. Alongside safe and reliable technology, autonomous vehicles also need people’s trust, and that is what we want to earn. The experience we gain from the MINGA project will feed directly into the development of future vehicle generations and further applications. As a German commercial vehicle manufacturer, we are glad to be developing this technology in Europe for Europe, and to be carrying out the project with such a professional consortium,” says Dr Frederik Zohm, Executive Board Member for Research and Development at MAN Truck & Bus.
The project has generated significant public interest and garnered more than 2,000 pre-registrations for a ride in the autonomous electric bus. Test operations with users are set to continue until June 2027. A safety driver will always be on board to take immediate control of the vehicle if necessary throughout the entire project. Anyone coming to Munich who is interested in participating in a test drive can register at mvg.de/minga-anmeldung to be added to the pool of interested participants.
New opportunities for public transport
Munich’s Deputy Mayor Mona Fuchs says: “In future, autonomous buses will open up new opportunities for local public transport in Munich. Staff shortages and tight budgets are currently putting day-to-day operations under pressure. Being one of the first German cities to trial a future technology like this sends a strong signal for Munich as a centre of innovation.”
She added, “It is particularly important to me that accessibility is given proper attention in the MINGA project and that passengers themselves are involved. Their experiences and their sense of safety will decide whether this technology becomes part of everyday life.”
Passenger experience during the test drives will provide important insights into how autonomous driving systems can operate in public transport and how they are accepted by the public. For this reason, the trial operations are being monitored by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the University of Stuttgart.
Scaling autonomous buses soon
“The key question for us is whether and how autonomous buses can be scaled up and integrated reliably and cost-effectively into efficient scheduled services in future. With the automated 12-metre bus, we are trialling for the first time a vehicle size that has the potential for high-capacity use in regular bus operations,” adds Sinaida Cordes,Authorised Signatory at SWM and MVG.