MAN Truck & Bus has reached a major milestone in the field of automated driving. Together with its technology partner ADASTEC, the company has successfully automated one of its fully electric 12-metre city bus. As part of the MINGA research project, the Munich public transport operator MVG is set to test the vehicle in Munich’s city traffic starting this autumn.
Over the past few months, MAN has equipped a Lion’s City 12 E with an Automated Driving System (ADS) in close collaboration with its new partner ADASTEC and integrated it into the vehicle’s electronic architecture. As a result, the vehicle, which is equipped with five LiDAR sensors, six RADARs, eight cameras, and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), is technically capable of automated driving. Initial test drives are currently taking place on the MAN premises, during which specific driving maneuvers – such as approaching bus stops – are being tested. The goal of this phase is to fine-tune the system, collect important operational data, and further optimize the automated driving functions.
Autonomous pilot operation planned for Munich’s public transport
Following testing on MAN’s premises, the automated electric bus is set to operate on Munich’s public roads – initially without passengers. These runs will serve as a final test phase under real-world conditions. In autumn, MVG plans to launch the official pilot operation with a closed user group.
It is also planned to systematically evaluate feedback from test users. When and under what conditions passengers will be able to ride along will be announced in due course.
Findings from the MINGA project are directly incorporated into the further development of future vehicle generations. MAN has been working on driverless buses for years and plans to launch a fully automated vehicle at SAE Level 4 in the next decade – for urban mobility that is emission-free, connected, and automated.
With ADASTEC, MAN is partnering with a specialized provider of automated driving systems for the MINGA research project. The company develops SAE Level 4 (fully automated) automated driving software platform for buses and commercial vehicles.
MINGA: A key project for the mobility of the future
The MINGA research project (Munich’s Automated Local Transport with Ridepooling, Solobus, and Bus Platoons) has been underway since 2023 with a total of 16 partners from public authorities, research institutions, and industry. The Mobility Department of the City of Munich serves as the consortium leader and is responsible for the overall project. The goal is to integrate automated and connected mobility solutions into the existing transportation system and to address key questions regarding technology, regulation, cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and operations. The project is being funded with approximately 13 million euros through mid-2027 by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) under the funding guideline “Autonomous and Connected Driving in Public Transportation.”
(Info: MAN)
All photos: © MAN Truck & Bus
We last reported on the project here:
https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/automated-man-electric-bus-for-munich/
