German Railway Company Prepares to Test Autonomous Shuttles in Public Transport Networks
Germany's Railways and Rhein-Main Transport Association are kicking off the country's first nationwide trial for an autonomous, on-demand shuttle service within public transport. Apparently, the vehicle is driverless within a specific zone, but for safety purposes, a human driver will tag along initially.
The plan is to have six of these autonomous marvels gradually taking the wheels in Darmstadt and Kreis Offenbach, with passengers yet to hop on board.
The tech behind this project, dubbed "Kira," is said to let these self-driving vehicles mix it up with regular traffic on the roadways. The vehicle reportedly takes the reigns on all driving decisions, while technical supervisors keep a watchful eye. "Kira" is an acronym for AI-based rule-operated autonomous on-demand transportation.
The Railways aim to spice up public transport with these services, making it more appealing and flexible. Bookable shuttles will primarily serve to boost mobility in rural areas and link various modes of transport. The operator of these autonomous vehicles is DB Regio Bus Mitte. The project receives backing from the Federal Ministry of Transport with approximately 2.2 million Euros, and the State of Hessen. The Federal Motor Transport Authority has given the green light for the test.
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In this autonomous project, the self-driving shuttles are expected to navigate local traffic, integrating smoothly with regular railroad traffic and other roadway vehicles. After the successful testing phase, on-demand shuttle services could potentially expand to other rural areas, providing a flexible and convenient mode of transport for locals, thereby enhancing public transportation.
