DB's KIRA Project Extends to Darmstadt in Germany
The KIRA project, a groundbreaking collaboration between Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV), is revolutionising public transport in Germany. This innovative project, funded by both the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) and the State of Hesse, aims to make public transport more flexible and intelligent by integrating different modes of transport.
DB Regio Bus Mitte operates the autonomous vehicles in the KIRA project, while ioki provides the booking and route planning software. The project has received a total of approximately 2.2 million EUR in funding from the BMV.
Initially serving passengers within the city of Langen and the municipality of Egelsbach in the Offenbach district, the KIRA project has now expanded to include the northern and western districts of Darmstadt. Trips between Langen, Egelsbach, and Darmstadt are now possible with the KIRA project.
The test operation of the KIRA project is conducted with HEAG mobilo GmbH and the Offenbach District Transport Company. Key locations in Darmstadt served include the central train station, Pallaswiesenstraße in the Johannesviertel district, and the Nordbad/Bürgerpark. New stops within Darmstadt have been added, making the project more accessible to a wider audience.
The KIRA project is the first in Germany to test Level 4 autonomous driving with passengers. Positive evaluations of the test drives indicate that the KIRA project is on the right track. More than 1,000 registered users have been approved for the KIRA project's pilot, with passengers rating their journeys with an average of 4.5 points out of 5.
Interested individuals can register to travel on the KIRA unit through the project's dedicated app. The current schedule for the KIRA project runs until the end of 2025, with an extension now in the works. The project is not limited to a specific timeframe, as an extension is now being considered.
The KIRA project tests Level 4 autonomous driving with passengers in the cities of Darmstadt, Langen, and Egelsbach, connecting more rural areas with the urban environment. By making public transport more flexible and intelligent, the KIRA project is paving the way for a smarter, more efficient future for transportation in Germany.
