Karsan, which is advancing towards becoming a global brand with the vision of being “One Step Ahead in the Future of Mobility”, has added a new one to its world-wide firsts. Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK, the world’s first and only Level-4 autonomous bus that carries ticketed passengers in open traffic, will now become Sweden’s first driverless vehicle. Karsan and Adastec, in collaboration with Västtrafik, Vy Buss and Applied Autonomy, will implement this project in Sweden, connecting Gothenburg’s Central Station to Liseberg Station and providing an uninterrupted and efficient transportation solution in the city’s Garda district. Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK will start passenger service in August 2025. Karsan CEO Okan Baş, who stated that the autonomous e-ATAK has been supporting public transportation in different parts of the world since 2021, said, “Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK, our first level-4 autonomous bus that carries ticketed passengers in open traffic in Norway and Finland, will now break new ground in public transportation in Sweden. To date, we have gained great experience with the 100.000 kilometers we have covered and 35.000 passengers we have carried with our autonomous vehicle. This accumulation and the feedback we receive from our customers allow us to produce more innovative solutions every day and to constantly go further by exceeding our limits. We will continue to shape the future by reinforcing our leadership in the sector in autonomous technology.” Subject
Commenting on the project, ADASTEC CEO Dr. Ali Ufuk Peker said, “I am very proud to have brought to life Sweden’s first SAE Level-4 autonomous public transport bus in collaboration with Västtrafik, Vy Buss, Karsan and Applied Autonomy. In this journey that we started approximately three years ago by achieving a “world first” in Europe and America, we have successfully put our buses carrying ticketed passengers on open roads with our autonomous driving software into service in many cities in Europe and continue to do so.”
Playing a leading role in the transformation of public transportation to electric and autonomous vehicles in the world, Karsan continues to break new ground in the sector with its innovative technologies. Having become a global brand with its successful operations in a very wide geography from Japan to the USA, Karsan provides service with its electric vehicles in 3 countries on 23 continents. In this context, Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK, the world's first Level 4 autonomous electric bus developed by Karsan together with its technology partner ADASTEC, is preparing to carry passengers in the Swedish market.
It will start carrying passengers in August 2025!
In a project carried out by Karsan in collaboration with ADASTEC, Västtrafik, Vy Buss and Applied Autonomy, the Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK will enter passenger service in August 2025 as Sweden’s first Level 4 autonomous vehicle. Once the project is implemented, the Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK will connect Gothenburg’s Central Station to Liseberg Station, providing a seamless and efficient transportation solution in the city’s Gårda district. Within the scope of the project, ADASTEC’s flowride.ai platform seamlessly integrates with Gothenburg’s transit infrastructure, creating an operationally efficient and accessible route that increases the city’s connectivity. The bus will initially operate as part of Västtrafik’s public transport network. Stating that they continue to play a leading role in the transformation of public transportation to electric and autonomous vehicles in the world with the vision of being “One Step Ahead in the Future of Mobility”, Karsan CEO Okan Baş said, “Since the launch of Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK in 2021, we have proven our reliability with 35 thousand passenger experience. Our vehicle, which demonstrated flawless performance in harsh weather conditions down to minus 25 degrees, also earned the title of being the first autonomous vehicle in Europe that can pass through a tunnel. The firsts and successful studies we have realized encourage us even more to achieve much better.” Making a statement on the subject, ADASTEC CEO Dr. Ali Ufuk Peker said, “The flowride.ai software developed by ADASTEC proves itself with real-world applications in buses integrated by Karsan in the factory and adds value to local communities with sustainable, accessible public transportation solutions. This project in Gothenburg once again demonstrates the global importance of autonomous public transportation in terms of sustainability and urban mobility. “We believe that such initiatives will provide an important foundation for creating smarter, more connected cities that reduce carbon footprints, increase inclusivity and become more sustainable in the future.”
The first and only in the world with 35 thousand passenger experience!
Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK had carried passengers on a 1.5-kilometer route for 5 years on the Michigan State University campus in the USA, achieving a world first. In Stavanger, Norway, Autonomous e-ATAK, which has been carrying ticketed passengers in open traffic since 2022, recently updated and expanded its existing route with a tunnel route and successfully passed another difficult test as the first autonomous vehicle to pass through a tunnel. After the USA, Norway, France, Romania, Finland, Netherlands, Switzerland and Turkey, Karsan, which will now be present in Sweden with its autonomous projects in 9 different locations with Autonomous e-ATAK, continues to maintain its distinction as the first and only level-4 autonomous bus carrying passengers in open traffic in the world.
Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK is ready for continuous service!
Equipped with the Advanced Sensor Package, Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK uses a combination of LiDAR, Radar, RGB Cameras, GNSS and state-of-the-art sensors that work together to provide precise navigation and situational awareness in different weather conditions. The vehicle, which can reach speeds of 40 km/h autonomously in all weather conditions, day or night, can do the same things a bus driver does; approaching stops on the route, getting on and off.
It performs all operations such as managing processes, providing dispatch and management at intersections, crossings and traffic lights without a driver. The 8,3-meter-long Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK stands out as a sustainable, high-capacity transit solution that can efficiently meet Gothenburg’s urban transportation demands. The bus’ ability to be fully charged in 5 hours with AC units and in 3 hours with DC units ensures that the vehicle is always ready for service.
