Munich to start passenger trials in 12-metre autonomous bus

Passenger-carrying trials in Munich’s roughly €13 million MINGA project start on 17 November and run through June 2027 on a 12-metre MAN electric bus.

The MAN Lion’s City E began road tests and, at the start of September, entered public-road trial operation without passengers. It now follows route 178 between the Munich districts of Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl, but remains outside regular scheduled service.

MINGA has run in Munich since 2023 under the city’s Mobility Department. The German Federal Ministry of Transport funds the project with about €13 million. Its new phase opens autonomous mobility solutions to public use, while the on-demand vehicles based on the VW ID. Buzz have so far tested public roads without passengers.

What does this change for Munich transit?

For riders, the immediate change is access to a supervised test ride rather than a normal fare-paying route. Passenger runs on route 178 begin 17 November, operate Monday through Friday, and have drawn more than 2,000 pre-registrations. Interested users can register at mvg.de/minga-anmeldung to join the participant pool.

A safety driver, meaning a human operator, remains aboard throughout the project and can take immediate control if needed. That arrangement keeps the bus in supervised trial operation.

For MVG and SWM, the project tests operating feasibility rather than adding confirmed route capacity. Sinaida Cordes, Authorised Signatory at SWM and MVG, said this is the first trial of a 12-metre vehicle with potential for high-capacity use in regular bus operations.

She set the objective as reliable, cost-effective integration into efficient scheduled services; that outcome remains unproven. The announcement identifies no series-production volume or confirmed conversion to a regular route.

How the vehicle works

MAN Truck & Bus, MVG and SWM collected the route information needed for autonomous operation during initial test drives. Equipment supplier Adastec fitted the bus with:

• Five LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors
• Six radar sensors
• Eight cameras
• Satellite positioning

The Technical University of Munich and the University of Stuttgart monitor passenger experience during the test operations. Their observations will show how autonomous systems work in public transport and whether the public accepts the service.

What the project is trying to prove

Dr Frederik Zohm, MAN Truck & Bus Executive Board Member for Research and Development, said: “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.”

Zohm said MINGA findings would feed directly into future vehicle generations and further applications. He described the work as technology developed in Europe for Europe with the project’s professional consortium.

Munich Deputy Mayor Mona Fuchs said: “In future, autonomous buses will open up new opportunities for local public transport in Munich.” She said staff shortages and tight budgets pressure day-to-day operations, while Munich’s early trial supports its position as an innovation centre.

Fuchs also called for proper attention to accessibility and passenger involvement. She argued that passengers’ experience and sense of safety will determine whether the technology becomes part of everyday life.

What to watch next

Three milestones will determine whether MINGA can move beyond a research trial:

• 17 November launch: Passenger-carrying service starts on route 178, Monday through Friday.
• Capacity validation: Whether 12-metre operation can support high-capacity regular routes at acceptable cost.
• June 2027 deadline: The current test-operation period ends, with no conversion date or fleet quantity specified.

Until the trial produces that evidence, the 12-metre bus remains a research demonstrator, not confirmed scheduled-service capacity.