Autonomous vehicles in public transport - In Langen, Germany, commuters can use self-driving cars
Langen, a town south of Frankfurt, is the first place in Germany where commuters can use self-driving cars as part of the public transport system.
On Monday, KIRA - a project aimed at integrating autonomous vehicles into public transport - launched public testing for users in small parts of the Rhine-Main metropolitan area.
Knut Ringat, managing director of the Rhine-Main metropolitan area transport association, RVN, said he hopes that KIRA will function as a sustainable alternative to other forms of public transport by 2030, especially in rural areas.
Ringat said bus services in rural areas were already inadequate and would deteriorate further in the coming years due to a growing shortage of drivers.
"Today, more than 40 percent of our drivers are over 55, which means that in the next ten years we will lose half of our drivers, so we need an alternative," said Ringat, adding that the system had to work, otherwise there would be no good public transportation for ten years.
"We have a great responsibility for rural areas in the region, in developing equal living spaces and connecting rural areas with urban centers," said Ringat.
KIRA works similarly to regular ride-sharing apps. You simply set your departure and arrival points and a car will come to pick you up - the only difference is that KIRA will drive itself.
This system is currently only available in Langen, but if all goes according to plan, it will also launch in the nearby city of Darmstadt later this year.
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