MAN autonomous electric bus begins testing on Munich streets

The MINGA research project has reached a new milestone in Munich, Germany, with the deployment of an automated MAN Lion’s City E electric bus on public streets. Since early September, the 12-meter vehicle has been operating on route 178 between Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl.

Developed through a collaboration between MAN Truck & Bus, Stadtwerke München (SWM), and the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG), the bus utilizes technology from ADASTEC. Currently, the vehicle is accompanied by specially trained test drivers who collect high-resolution route data and environmental information necessary for precise mapping.

The project is moving toward passenger involvement. Starting in November 2026, MAN and MVG plan to introduce a phase where selected test users from a closed group can ride the bus as it simulates regular line operations. This transition from factory testing to real city traffic is part of a broader effort to integrate full-size autonomous buses into public transport systems, with MAN aiming for series production by the end of the decade.