The MAN Lion’s City 12 E has begun operating on Munich’s Route 178 as part of the MINGA research project, marking a significant transition from proving-ground trials to public-road testing.
Developed by MAN with autonomous-driving specialist ADASTEC, the 12-metre electric bus is equipped with five LiDAR sensors, six radars, eight cameras and satellite-based positioning. It can independently steer, accelerate, brake and signal, while a trained safety driver remains on board during testing.
The next phase is planned for November, when MAN and Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG) expect to begin pilot operations with selected test users. The programme will generate operational and user data under real urban conditions, including varied road environments and bus-stop operations.
Why It Matters:
The significance is moving beyond autonomous driving capability to operational readiness. Real traffic will test whether automated buses can integrate safely and reliably into existing public-transport systems — a crucial step towards scalable autonomous urban mobility.
