Hesse, Germany

Robotaxis in Darmstadt

Darmstadt, Germany: No public robotaxi rides yet. 1 more entry in testing, announced or ended.

Munich, Germany - Momenta (announced)MunichZurich, Switzerland - WeRide (announced)Darmstadt, Germany - Deutsche Bahn (DB Regio) / RMV - KIRA (testing)DarmstadtFurttal, Switzerland - WeRide (testing)FurttalLuxembourg, Luxembourg - Pony.ai (testing)LuxembourgSt. Gallen, Switzerland - Apollo Go (Baidu) (testing)Hamburg, Germany - MOIA (public, with operator), HOLON (testing)HamburgLondon, United Kingdom - Wayve (public, with operator), Apollo Go (Baidu) (testing), Waymo (testing)LondonZagreb, Croatia - Verne (public, with operator)Zagreb

How to ride here

  • Deutsche Bahn (DB Regio) / RMV - KIRA Not open to the public yet.

Services

Deutsche Bahn (DB Regio) / RMV - KIRA shuttle

Testing with safety driver
  1. Testing

Not open to the public yet.

Who can ride
not published
App
KIRA (ioki)
Partner
RMV; Mobileye (technology); HEAG mobilo; kvgOF
Service area
Darmstadt and Offenbach district: Parts of Darmstadt and the Offenbach district (HEAG mobilo and kvgOF areas)
Area size
not published
Airport
not published
Highways
not published
Fleet (official)
Six shuttles to be phased in (ioki, 2024-06-25)
Fares
not published
Public driverless since
not published

History

  1. Testing with safety driver - Test operation started with KBA Level 4 test permit, safety driver behind the wheel, no passengers at start source

Announced next

  • Announcement KIRA runs until end of 2026; follow-up KIRA+ with HOLON urban shuttles, mapping drives during 2027, safety personnel always present Target: 2027. Announced . source
Sources (2)
  1. KIRA starts with autonomous vehicles for public transport - ioki, 25 Jun 2024
  2. KIRA+: New project for autonomous driving in public transport launches in the Rhine-Main region - DLR, 30 Sep 2026

Last checked - last change

Rules in this country

  • Germany - Road Traffic Act (StVG, sections 1d-1l) allows Level 4 vehicles to drive without a driver in an approved defined operating area, overseen by a technical supervisor who can approve manoeuvres remotely. The KBA issues the vehicle operating permit (or an EU 2022/1426 type approval is used); the competent state authority approves the operating area. The AFGBV ordinance of 24 June 2022 (in force 1 July 2022) details permits, operating areas and technical supervision; section 16 allows test permits, used e.g. for HOLON urban (13 November 2025, safety driver, to end 2026). All passenger projects found (MOIA/HOLON Hamburg, KIRA) still run with safety staff on board.