BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – Passengers in 15 German cities can currently use driverless buses. According to a recent report by the consulting firm PwC, such pilot projects exist not only in major cities like Hamburg, Berlin, and Leipzig, but also in smaller locations such as Herford or Monheim am Rhein in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Typically, these projects involve so-called Level 4 systems. This level refers to vehicles capable of operating autonomously within designated areas and under specific conditions.
Most of the ongoing and completed projects have taken place in Munich (9 projects), Hamburg (6), and Ulm (5). Alongside France, Germany is considered a pioneer in this field, the PwC report notes—mainly because Germany has already created the legal framework for the deployment of Level 4 technology.
However, Germany still lacks a type approval for Level 4 vehicles. Experts have long pointed out that the country has a patchwork of pilot projects funded by the federal government, most of which are not designed for sustainability or long-term operation. “We don’t need more test runs or laboratories; we need to move into regular operation now,” said Ingo Wortmann, President of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), a few weeks ago.
Implementation projects with a large fleet of vehicles are necessary, as manufacturers of autonomous vehicles require high purchase volumes to gain planning certainty for building up production capacities, the VDV writes in a position paper on autonomous driving.
Public transport (ÖPNV) has a particular interest in the rapid establishment of this technology in Germany, given the acute shortage of drivers. According to the PwC Monitor, by 2030 Germany will lack more than 50,000 bus drivers—more than twice as many as today.