Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV), Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Holon have launched the KIRA+ project to test SAE Level 4 autonomous driving in local public transportation, with preparations for the test operation now under way.
Initial mapping drives are scheduled to take place in 2027 in parts of Darmstadt and the district of Offenbach in Germany, covering areas served by the local project partners HEAG mobilo and Kreisverkehrsgesellschaft Offenbach.
Prof. Knut Ringat, chairman of the RMV management board, said, “With KIRA+ we build on the experience gathered so far in autonomous driving and test the further developed technology in vehicles that were designed for use in public transport. This brings us a decisive step closer to the model region we are aiming for in the RMV area. The goal is to integrate autonomous services into regular public transport in the near future. Driverless services offer the great opportunity, with the appropriate political support, to continue offering attractive and affordable public transport everywhere and at any time.”
Harmen van Zijderveld, CEO of DB Regio, added, “Autonomous driving offers the chance of a faster, cheaper and digital mobility service. But so that we do not simply end up with even more cars on the roads, we have to integrate autonomous vehicles intelligently into public transport. That is exactly what we are testing with KIRA+, with all the requirements that modern, autonomous public transport has to meet. From usability for customers with reduced mobility through to reliable technical supervision in the control center under real operating conditions.”
A new vehicle for autonomous on-demand transportation
KIRA+ uses the accessible Holon urban vehicle, equipped with autonomous driving technology from Mobileye. The vehicle has five passenger seats plus one wheelchair space in test operation. If the wheelchair space is used, three passenger seats are available.
Dr Sven Herzig, managing director at Holon, commented, “KIRA+ is an important step for us in Germany. After Hamburg and Paderborn, the Holon urban will now be running on public roads in a third German region. What matters to us is the direction of travel. Here, two of the major players in German public transport, RMV and DB Regio, are working toward a model region in which autonomous vehicles are to become part of the regular service in large numbers. That order of magnitude is the yardstick against which autonomous mobility has to be measured. It calls for vehicles designed for continuous operation, and that is exactly what the Holon urban is built for.”
Regional model
The project aims to establish a model region for autonomous public transportation, with autonomous mobility services integrated into regular local transportation across a defined area rather than being limited to individual pilot projects.
KIRA+ will test and examine the operation of the self-driving vehicles and the on-demand booking processes, with a particular focus on their scalability. Booking will run through the project’s own app from Ioki, which coordinates ride requests and combines them intelligently in route planning. Safety personnel will be on board at all times, supervising the autonomous SAE Level 4 rides.
The planned operating area builds on the predecessor project KIRA, which runs until the end of 2026. This enables existing capabilities for autonomous operation, such as the control center, to be used further.
Test field within the MILA.mobility project
KIRA+ is one of five test fields within the MILA.mobility project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and stands for Middleware Integration of Control Centre and Dispatch Systems for Autonomous Mobility. The aim is to develop and harmonize a middleware architecture that connects the software systems required for autonomous public transportation: from the vehicle through fleet dispatch to the control center.
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