Three months after the launch of the groundbreaking KIRA project, the service area in the Rhine-Main region is expanding. In addition to the existing services in Langen and Egelsbach, passengers can now also use the Ioki-powered KIRA app to access shuttles in the northern and western districts of Darmstadt (50km south of the financial metropolis of Frankfurt).
This expansion marks the first time the fleet of self-driving vehicles has operated in a major city, connecting key locations such as the main train station and integrating autonomous vehicles into the existing public transportation network. Passengers can also travel between the previous service areas of Langen, Egelsbach and Darmstadt.
Over 1,000 approved test users
Since the test drives began in Langen and Egelsbach at the end of May, more than 1,000 registered individuals have been approved as users for the pilot project. Passengers who have already used the shuttles rate their journeys an average of 4.5 out of five points. In the first three months, the vehicles completed more than one trip per hour during operating times (Wednesday to Friday, 9:30am to 3:30pm). Since the initial test runs through Langen and Egelsbach in June 2024 and through Darmstadt in June 2025, the six shuttles have traveled over 60,000km. The most popular stops are the stations in Langen and Egelsbach.
Registered users can book rides on demand throughout the service area using the KIRA app, powered by Ioki. Additional interested parties will be approved based on use patterns and vehicle availability.
Project background
KIRA stands for ‘AI-based regular operation of autonomous on-demand transport’ and is the first project in Germany to test autonomous driving at Level 4 with passengers and for local public transportation. Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) are leading the initiative. Ioki, a leading tech-company for digital and autonomous public transportation, provides the on-demand software for booking and route planning; it also integrates the software components of the various technology partners. Mobileye provides the self-driving technology, HD maps and specialized sensor technology.
The test operation is taking place in close coordination with the local partners HEAG mobilo and the Kreisverkehrsgesellschaft Offenbach and is scheduled to run until the end of 2025, although an extension is planned. The groundbreaking pilot and research project receives financial support totalling approximately €2.2m from the Federal Ministry for Transport (BMV) and the State of Hesse. Research partners in the project include the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV).
Key stats:
• More than 1,000 people registered as test users to experience the benefits of this innovative technology;
• Previous passengers rate their journey on one of the shuttles with an average of 4.5 out of five points;
• During the first three months of the project, the vehicles completed an average of over one trip per hour;
• Since the first preparatory test runs began in June 2024, traveling through Langen and Egelsbach and then through Darmstadt in June 2025, the KIRA shuttles have covered over 60,000km;
• The most requested shuttle stops are the stations in Langen and Egelsbach.
You can read an exclusive feature on Project KIRA in the April 2025 issue of ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle International.
