MAN Truck & Bus and Munich’s transit operator MVG have put an automated electric bus on public roads in Munich. MAN’s Oct. 1, 2026 press release says the bus has run on Route 178 since early September. A safety driver stays on board throughout the project and can take control at any time.
The bus and its route
The vehicle is a 12-meter MAN Lion’s City 12 E, automated by MAN with software from ADASTEC, which develops SAE Level 4 driving software for buses. Route 178 runs between Petuelring and Freimanner Hölzl, and mixes major roads, 30 km/h zones, parking areas and underpasses.
The bus carries five LiDAR sensors, six radars, eight cameras and satellite positioning. TÜV completed the technical inspections, and Germany’s Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt issued the operating permit. It has about 30 seats plus space for a wheelchair or pram. Sustainable Bus reports it runs as an additional vehicle on the route, not in place of the regular service.
The work is part of MINGA, a 16-partner research project led by the City of Munich that receives about 13 million euros in federal funding and runs until mid-2027. Sustainable Bus notes that in April MAN chose ADASTEC as its partner, replacing an earlier planned cooperation with Mobileye.
What works and what to be careful about
| Works well | Be careful |
|---|---|
| Has run on public roads on Route 178 since early September | A safety driver is on board and can take control at any time |
| TÜV inspections done and a Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt operating permit issued | No performance or safety data from the route has been published |
| Route mixes major roads, 30 km/h zones, parking areas and underpasses | It runs as an extra vehicle, so it doesn’t replace regular service or fill driver gaps |
| About 30 seats plus space for a wheelchair or pram | Passenger trials are limited to selected test users from November |
| 16-partner project with about 13 million euros in federal funding | That funding covers all of MINGA through mid-2027, not just this bus |
Where that leaves things: this is a research test with a safety driver, and it doesn’t show that a bus can run a route without staff. Driver shortage is the context for the project, but neither source reports a route that this bus kept running. Neither gives a timeline for series production or for service without a safety driver.
Why It Matters to You
If you ride Munich’s buses, you can’t just hop on this one yet. In November, selected test users will ride in a closed group on Route 178, and MVG will announce the start date later. The general public cannot ride yet. When it does open up, the bus has space for a wheelchair or pram, and a safety driver stays aboard throughout the project.
Quick answers
Is the Munich bus driverless? No. A safety driver is on board throughout and can intervene at any time.
Can I ride it? Not yet in general. Selected test users in a closed group start riding in November.
Is it wheelchair accessible? MAN says the bus has about 30 seats plus space for a wheelchair or pram.
Sources
- MAN Truck & Bus: Autonomous e-bus for Munich: MAN and MVG bring autonomous driving to city traffic (Oct 1, 2026)
- Sustainable Bus: MAN autonomous Lion’s City E hits Munich streets as MINGA project moves towards passenger trials (Oct 1, 2026)