Berlin aims for rapid deployment of self-driving cars after successful tests

Berlin's transport senator, Ute Bonde, is pushing for the swift integration of autonomous vehicles into the city's traffic. She described the technology as a "gamechanger" and expressed a desire for short-term implementation, though a concrete timeline remains elusive.

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And I believe we are not talking about a long-term perspective, but a short-term perspective.

Testing is currently underway, with TÜV successfully completing initial test drives of a self-driving minibus named "Edgar." The vehicle navigated a 5-kilometer route under realistic conditions, with TÜV concluding that fully autonomous vehicles can manage urban traffic safely and reliably, despite acknowledging that disruptions are possible.

While Germany is primarily testing autonomous driving through pilot projects, experts believe Level 4 autonomous vehicles are a realistic prospect for public roads. These vehicles can operate autonomously within defined areas and under specific conditions, without driver intervention. However, Germany lags behind the US and China in commercial fleet deployment. Experts project that regular services, likely starting with shuttle fleets and public transport in smaller districts and on restricted routes, could emerge between 2028 and 2032.

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And I believe we are not talking about a long-term perspective, but a short-term perspective.

Several initiatives are already in motion. The VW subsidiary Moia and Berlin's public transport authority BVG plan to deploy autonomous shuttles in Berlin. In Munich, ride-hailing service Uber and Israeli AI company Autobrains are also preparing to launch autonomous taxis.

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