An autonomous minivan navigates through Berlin without driver intervention. How advanced is the technology, and could it transform local public transport? Instead of a driver behind the wheel, sensors, cameras, and Artificial Intelligence control autonomous vehicles. What has long been part of the cityscape in the USA and China is now also intended for Berlin, the traffic-plagued capital – and if the Transport Senator has her way, as quickly as possible.
The Road to Autonomy: Berlin’s Bold Step Towards Driverless Transport
The TÜV, which recently conducted its first test drives with a self-driving minibus, concludes that a fully autonomous vehicle can safely and reliably handle urban traffic. However, disruptions are not ruled out.
When will autonomous vehicles operate in normal traffic? Such driverless autonomous vehicles should be deployed in Berlin as soon as possible, said Transport Senator Ute Bonde (CDU), who called it a ‘game changer’. ‘And I believe we are not talking about a long-term perspective now, but a short-term one.’
However, there is no concrete timetable. So far, autonomous driving in Germany is primarily being tested in model projects. Experts in Germany classify the approval procedures and technical requirements as complex.
Level 4 Autonomy: What Does It Mean for Berlin?
No autonomous vehicle at Level 4 is yet approved for public road traffic in Germany. Legally, however, it is possible. Level 4 refers to vehicles that can drive autonomously in defined areas under certain conditions (operational domain) – i.e., even without driver intervention at the wheel. For comparison: This differs from assisted driving – Level 2: This is already a reality in cars, for example, with overtaking and lane-keeping assistants and other aids for the driver in Germany.
How realistic is it? Ricco Kämpfer, an expert in autonomous driving at the consulting firm P3, considers the use of Level 4 vehicles in real road traffic to be undoubtedly realistic. However, he noted that the USA and China are significantly further ahead than Europe with commercial fleets. For the first regular services in public transport and shuttle fleets in Germany, he mentions a time horizon of 2028 and 2032. Initially, deployment is likely to focus on smaller districts and restricted routes, and primarily on public transport.
In Munich, the ride-hailing service Uber and the Israeli AI company Autobrains plan to operate robotaxis. VW subsidiary Moia and Berlin’s transport company BVG want to send autonomous shuttles onto the streets of Berlin.
TÜV’s Verdict: Edgar Navigates Berlin’s Complex Urban Jungle
According to the TÜV Association, an autonomous vehicle completed test drives under realistic conditions for the first time. The minivan – briefly named Edgar – drove three times a roughly 5-kilometer route from the Federal Ministry of Transport to the Radialsystem cultural center in the Friedrichshain district. It is actually a research vehicle from the Technical University of Munich.
TÜV President Dirk Stenkamp said: ‘The Berlin real-world test shows that autonomous driving is technically possible even in complex urban traffic.’ Verification drives are a prerequisite for obtaining an operational domain approval. According to the TÜV, the inspectors in Berlin tested a method for the first time in Germany that can safely and practically assess the behavior of an autonomous vehicle in a specific environment. In the future, approvals should be able to be issued ‘virtually in series’, as the TÜV President said.
Revolutionizing Public Transport or a Costly Dream?
The technology of autonomous driving could ‘revolutionize’ public transport, said Transport Senator Bonde. Autonomous vehicles would make it easier to switch from private cars to on-demand services, for example. Also, due to demographic problems and impending staff shortages, autonomous driving is crucial for ensuring future public transport in Germany, according to Bonde.
Expert Kämpfer said: ‘Municipalities and transport companies want autonomous driving. However, the financial means to procure and operate significant fleets are still lacking.’
Safety First: Autonomous Cars vs. Human Drivers
‘Such a car is generally safer than a human, because it sees much more,’ said researcher Nijinshan Karunainayagam, a doctoral student at TU Munich. Traffic jams are also generally not a problem. ‘Because we recognize objects quite robustly and reliably, we will simply go along with stop-and-go traffic.’ Construction sites, however, could be a challenge, according to the TU expert.
It can become problematic when more aggressive drivers are on the road. This is because an autonomous vehicle is designed for defensive driving. ‘If other road users drive more aggressively, do not adhere to the rules, then such a vehicle drives more cautiously and brakes more. And that is more of a challenge.’
Source: Analysis based on dpa data, statements from Transport Senator Ute Bonde, TÜV Association, and experts from P3 and TU Munich.
