MAN and MVG move automated Lion’s City 12 E into Munich road trials under MINGA project

Public-road testing on Route 178 follows TÜV and KBA approvals, with selected test users expected to join pilot operations from November.

Automated MAN Lion’s City 12 E electric city bus in Munich

Public-road testing on Route 178 follows TÜV and KBA approvals, with selected test users expected to join pilot operations from November.

MAN Truck & Bus and Stadtwerke München, working with Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft and the City of Munich’s Mobility Department, have moved the automated MAN Lion’s City 12 E into public-road testing on Munich’s Route 178 as part of the MINGA research project. The 12-metre electric city bus, automated by MAN and technology partner ADASTEC, is gathering route data ahead of increasingly autonomous operation, while safety drivers remain on board throughout the project. Following TÜV inspections and operating approval from the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, selected test users are expected to join a further pilot phase from November.

The automated MAN Lion’s City 12 E has been operating on Munich’s Route 178 since early September as the MINGA project moves into public-road testing.
TÜV inspections and Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt approval have been completed, while safety drivers will remain on board throughout the project.
The bus uses five LiDAR sensors, six radars, eight cameras and satellite-based positioning to support the high-resolution route mapping required for automated operation.
MVG and MAN expect to begin a further test phase with selected users in November, using the bus as an additional vehicle on the existing route.

Where is the automated MAN bus being tested in Munich?

The MAN Lion’s City 12 E is operating on Route 178 between Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl.
What sensors does the autonomous bus use?

The bus is equipped with five LiDAR sensors, six radars, eight cameras and a satellite-based positioning system.
Will a safety driver remain on board during the MINGA project?

Yes. Safety drivers will remain on board throughout the project and can take immediate control of the vehicle if necessary.
When are selected test users expected to ride the autonomous bus?

MVG and MAN expect to begin a further phase with selected test users in November, with participants riding as part of a closed user group.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH, Germany, 2-Oct-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — MAN Truck & Bus and Stadtwerke München (SWM), working with Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG) and under the leadership of the Mobility Department of the City of Munich, have reached a further milestone in the MINGA research project by moving an automated electric city bus into Munich traffic. Since early September, the automated MAN Lion’s City 12 E has been operating on Route 178 between Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl, marking the first time the 12-metre city bus automated by MAN and technology partner ADASTEC has been visible to the public in city traffic.

Following successful tests, trials on public roads are set to begin.
The necessary approvals have been granted by TÜV and the federal authority for road traffic Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA).
Pilot operations with selected test users are scheduled to begin in November.
The MINGA research project has reached an important milestone on the path to autonomous public transportation.

The vehicle continues to be accompanied by specially trained test drivers from MAN and MVG. Over the coming weeks, extensive route data will be gathered to provide the foundation for increasingly autonomous operation. Safety drivers will remain on board throughout the project and will be ready to take immediate control of the bus whenever necessary.

Christian Hirte, Parliamentary State Secretary to the German Federal Minister of Transport, says:

“Autonomous mobility will be part of our transportation system of the future. It is crucial that we test it under real-world conditions and gain experience for its practical application. With the start of the next test phase, an autonomous solo bus will be operating on public roads in Munich for the first time. The MINGA project is thus reaching another milestone and demonstrating how autonomous vehicles can meaningfully complement public transportation in the future and make it more flexible. We are supporting this development with approximately 13 million euros.”

Georg Dunkel, Head of the Department of Mobility of the City of Munich, says:

“With the autonomous 12-meter bus we’re now putting on the road, we’re taking an important step toward the regular deployment of autonomous vehicles in public transport. Following the recent launch of an autonomous on-demand shuttle in Munich, this marks another important milestone in the further development of urban mobility. I’d like to thank all our partners, especially MAN and MVG, for their close collaboration and dedication. The MINGA project demonstrates how innovation emerges right here on the ground and is shaping the future of mobility in Munich.”

Barbaros Oktay, Head of Bus at MAN Truck & Bus, says:

“With the first test runs on the route, we’ve left the controlled environment of our factory grounds and are bringing our system into real city traffic. This is an enormously important step toward automated urban mobility,”

Sinaida Cordes, Authorized Signatory at SWM and MVG, says:

“The insights from the MINGA project are of great importance to MVG as a public transport operator. They help us better understand the possible applications of autonomous buses in public transport and assess their potential for passengers and operations. In the long term, we see autonomous vehicles as an opportunity to make public transport even more attractive, flexible, and efficient, thereby making an important contribution to the mobility of the future.”

Veit Bodenschatz, Head of the Bus Division at SWM and MVG, adds:

“Route 178 offers ideal conditions for test operations. It combines a variety of traffic situations, such as major thoroughfares, 30-km/h zones, parking areas, and underpasses. This means it is a good representation of Munich’s diverse bus network. For future regular service, it is crucial to conduct the tests as close to real-world conditions as possible,”

Route is being digitized for autonomous driving

The current test runs are being used to gather the route information required for autonomous operation.

Marc Raudszus, Technical Coordinator and test driver at MAN, explains:

“This is necessary because autonomous driving requires a high-resolution and extremely precise map of the route,”

The vehicle uses advanced sensor technology to map its surroundings. It is equipped with five LiDAR sensors, six radars, eight cameras and a satellite-based positioning system. Using this data, ADASTEC implements relevant road and traffic information, including traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, lane layouts and other route-specific features, within a high-resolution digital map, or HD map. This map supports precise localisation and automated driving along the defined route and provides the basis for the bus to drive the route independently and safely in the coming weeks.

Dr. Michael Roth, Head of Bus Strategy and Bus Product Strategy at MAN, explains:

“Among other things, the vehicle will steer, accelerate, brake, and signal on its own. However, a safety driver will remain on board at all times to monitor the systems,”

Marc Raudszus says:

“Our MAN Lion’s City E is currently collecting data on an ongoing basis and is being further optimized for the planned automated operation,”

He adds:

“In addition to the technology, the size of the vehicle also poses a particular challenge. This makes it all the more important for us to ensure cautious, restrained driving behavior. After all, in addition to technical maturity, the MINGA project is also about building trust in the new technology.”

Test operation under real-world conditions

MVG and MAN expect to begin another project phase in November with test users on Route 178. The bus will operate as an additional vehicle on the existing route, simulating future regular scheduled service under conditions designed to be as close to real-world operation as possible. Selected test users will be able to ride as part of a closed user group. The bus provides approximately 30 seats and space for a wheelchair or pram.

Before entering public-road operation, the automated electric bus completed an extensive testing programme at the MAN facility. This included electromagnetic compatibility testing and validation of all functions of the automated driving system developed by ADASTEC across a wide range of defined test scenarios.

Marc Raudszus emphasizes:

“The top priority was that the safety driver on board must be able to intervene at any time in the event of a potential system failure,”

Following this work, the required technical inspections by TÜV and other approval procedures were completed. The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) was responsible for issuing the operating permit in accordance with the AFGBV (Autonome-Fahrzeuge-Genehmigungs-und-Betriebs-Verordnung).

Dr. Michael Roth says:

“This means that all regulatory requirements for the test operations now underway in Munich’s street traffic have been met,”

Registration for rides now open

Interested individuals can already register to participate at mvg.de/minga-anmeldung. MVG will provide separate information regarding the specific start date for the ride-sharing service in due course.

MINGA: A key project for the mobility of the future

MAN aims to use autonomous buses to make local public transportation more efficient, flexible and sustainable in the future. The company sees autonomous systems as offering significant potential to maintain and improve mobility services, particularly as cities grow and driver shortages increase. MAN has been working on driverless buses for years, and experience from the MINGA project is being incorporated directly into the development of future vehicle generations.

Within MINGA, MAN is working with ADASTEC as its technology partner. ADASTEC specialises in automated driving systems and develops an SAE Level-4, fully automated driving software platform for buses and commercial vehicles.

The MINGA research project, Munich’s Automated Local Transport with Ridepooling, Solobus, and Bus Platoons, has been underway since 2023 and includes 16 partners from public authorities, research institutions and industry. The Mobility Department of the City of Munich leads the consortium and is responsible for the overall project. Its objective is to integrate automated and connected mobility solutions into the existing transportation system while addressing key questions around 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.” Further information is available at mvg.de/minga and muenchenunterwegs.de/minga.

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