MAN has confirmed plans to test an autonomous electric city bus in Munich from 2025 as part of the city’s MINGA project.
During this pilot, the manufacturer will test an autonomous MAN Lion’s City E vehicle in real-world operations on bus route 144 through Olympic Park.
The vehicle will initially be monitored by an on-board safety operator.
These trials will take place in partnership with the City of Munich, the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG) and the Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund (MVV) to overcome current mobility challenges in the German city.
As the volume of traffic in Munich has increased significantly in recent years, the city has identified the need for new public transport services. However, this expansion is difficult to implement due to rising costs and a nationwide driver shortage.
MAN plans to overcome these problems by deploying autonomous city buses. Alongside reducing the need for personnel, MAN states that these vehicles cut the total cost of ownership (TCO) by up to 50 percent.
Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, said:Sustainability is a central part of our corporate strategy. That is why, on the one hand, we are consistently transforming our products to electric drives. On the other hand, we are pushing ahead with automation and digitalisation. The MINGA project is an important step for us on the way to the mobility transition.
