The KIRA autonomous vehicle has begun Level 4 operation throughout the Rhine-Main area in Frankfurt, Germany.
The shuttle, which is operated by Deutsche Bahn Regio Bus Mitte, is now servicing routes throughout a defined area completely independently, following a recent series of successful driver-operated tests.
Level 4 permits have been granted by the Federal Motor Transport Authority, with the vehicle set to be the first of six autonomous shuttles to be introduced into the Darmstadt and Offenbach areas in the near future.
KIRA is the first autonomous public transport project within Germany to have been granted Level 4 status, with autonomous testing set to continue throughout 2024.
Whilst the service is not yet available for use by the public, interested parties are able to register their interest to become test users via a dedicated app.
Initial testing of the unit will aim to determine its ability to safety participate in traffic at normal speeds, with particular focus being placed on the use of the built-in self-driving system supplied by Mobileye.
