Imagine catching a city bus — and there’s no driver in sight. That’s exactly what’s happening right now in two towns near Frankfurt, where Germany has launched its first-ever autonomous shuttle service operating in regular traffic. It’s a major tech milestone, but also a social experiment that might reshape how people — especially in smaller towns — get around.
Welcome to the future of mobility. Welcome to Project KIRA.
In the towns of Langen and Egelsbach, just outside Frankfurt, fully autonomous shuttles are picking up passengers on public roads. These buses operate at Level 4 automation, which means they can drive entirely on their own — no human input needed.
To hop on board, all you need is to sign up as a tester and download the KIRA app, where you can book your ride on demand.
Yes, for now it’s a pilot program with limited routes. But it’s still a German first — the first time ever that autonomous vehicles at this level are transporting real people in live traffic. A tech dream that once seemed like sci-fi is now part of everyday life.
Project KIRA is run by Deutsche Bahn (Germany’s national railway) and the Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV), with support from local bus operators: DB Regio Bus Mitte, HEAG mobilo, Kreisverkehrsgesellschaft Offenbach (kvgOF), and the tech company ioki, which built the app and route-planning software.
The high-tech sensors and mapping systems? They’re supplied by Mobileye, an Israeli mobility company leading the charge in autonomous driving. Funding comes from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport and the regional government of Hesse.
The project also includes academic partners like the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and The Hamburg Transport Association (HVV) — showing that this is as much about learning and innovation as it is about convenience.
Unlike traditional buses that follow fixed routes and timetables, KIRA shuttles work on demand. You book a ride when and where you need it — just like ordering a ride-share. This flexibility is a game-changer for rural and suburban areas, where public transport can be unreliable or even nonexistent.
RMV already has 10 rural zones where on-demand minibuses with drivers are available. But KIRA takes it further: no driver needed, and service available even outside peak hours.
As Professor Knut Ringat, RMV’s director, explains, autonomous minibuses could be a solution for rural communities where today, buses might only run a few times a day. With self-driving shuttles operating 24/7, public transport could become a real alternative to owning a car.
Evelyn Palla, board member at Deutsche Bahn, adds that these technologies could make transport more accessible and cost-effective where it’s needed most — in places far from big cities.
Germany’s Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder sees autonomous driving as key to building a greener, more accessible transport system. For him, KIRA isn’t just testing hardware — it’s showing people that this kind of innovation is real and can improve lives.
Hesse’s regional Transport Minister Kaweh Mansoori calls the project a tool for social inclusion — proving that new mobility solutions can reach places traditional buses can’t, and give everyone access to public transport, no matter where they live.
And for Johann Jungwirth, VP for autonomous mobility at Mobileye, KIRA is a showcase of what’s possible when cutting-edge tech meets real-world needs. Autonomous vehicles, he says, aren’t just about convenience — they also bring safer, more sustainable ways to move.
The KIRA pilot will run in Langen and Egelsbach at least until the end of 2025, and there are already plans to expand the service to parts of Darmstadt later this year. Anyone can still sign up to be a tester at www.kira-autonom.de, although spots are limited.
The long-term goal? Make driverless shuttles a permanent part of Germany’s public transport system, especially in areas where regular bus services just don’t work anymore.
But KIRA isn’t just about showing off cool tech. It’s about rethinking mobility altogether — from rigid timetables and fixed routes to a smart, personalised service that adapts to your life.
And maybe most importantly: it’s a test of trust. Are we ready to let algorithms take the wheel?
In the German state of Hesse, that future has already begun.
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