Karsan, which has become a global brand in public transportation, has now introduced its autonomous technology to Italy after Spain. In this context, Karsan offered participants the opportunity to experience the innovative technologies of Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK with the test drive organization organized by SASA, the public transportation authority of Bolzano, Italy. The test drive, which was held with a wide participation including Bolzano Autonomous Region Vice President and Infrastructure and Mobility Council Member Daniel Alfreider, Bolzano Autonomous Region Infrastructure and Mobility Department Director Martin Vallazza, SASA President Astrid Kofler and SASA General Manager Ruggero Rossi de Mio, stands out as one of the important steps shaping the future of autonomous public transportation in Europe.
Playing a leading role in the transformation of the world's public transportation infrastructure with its electric and autonomous vehicles, Karsan continues to attract attention with its innovative models and pioneering technologies. Having recently introduced the world's first Level-4 public transportation vehicle, the Autonomous e-ATAK, which can move without a driver on a planned route, to Madrid, the capital of Spain, Karsan has now introduced its innovative driverless transportation technology in Bolzano, Italy.
The event was attended by Bolzano Autonomous Region Vice President and Infrastructure and Mobility Councilor Daniel Alfreider, Bolzano Autonomous Region Infrastructure and Mobility Department Director Martin Vallazza, SASA President Astrid Kofler and SASA General Manager Ruggero Rossi de Mio, as well as officials from Karsan Europe and ADASTEC, Karsan’s base in Italy. Karsan organized an autonomous e-ATAK test drive in the historic city of Bolzano in northern Italy, and also offered participants the opportunity to experience the country’s first autonomous bus.
Vadena showed off her skills at the Safety Park Track!
Organized by SASA, Bolzano’s public transport authority, the event stands out as one of the important steps shaping the future of autonomous public transport in Europe. The test drive organization, which also includes Karsan Europe and ADASTEC, will provide a critical assessment opportunity for sustainable and smart transport solutions in the region. With the test drive carried out on the Safety Park track in Bolzano, Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK also introduced Italy to autonomous technology in public transport. The track, specially designed for safe driving simulations and advanced automation tests, provided an ideal environment to observe the performance of the Autonomous e-ATAK in different traffic scenarios.
During the test drive in a closed area, the autonomous e-ATAK worked completely autonomously without a driver, demonstrating the performance and safety of autonomous driving technology in detail. Equipped with competent maneuvering capabilities, the autonomous e-ATAK exhibited high performance with successful road holding by passing narrow bends stably. It received full marks from the authorities for the operational comfort it offered.
The first and only in the world with 35 thousand passenger experience!
The Autonomous e-ATAK, the world's first Level 4 autonomous electric bus developed by Karsan together with its technology partner ADASTEC, had achieved a world first by carrying passengers on a 1.5-kilometer route for 5 years on the Michigan State University campus in the USA. In Stavanger, Norway, the 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 challenging test as the first autonomous vehicle to pass through a tunnel. Karsan plans to make deliveries to Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden in the first half of 2025, following the USA, Norway, France, Romania, Finland and Türkiye. Thus, the Autonomous e-ATAK continues to maintain its distinction as the world's first and only Level 10 autonomous bus carrying passengers in open traffic with 11 autonomous projects at 4 different locations.
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. Able to reach speeds of up to 40 km/h autonomously in all weather conditions, day or night, the vehicle performs all the operations of a bus driver, such as pulling up to stops on the route, managing the boarding and disembarking processes, and providing direction and management at intersections and crossings and traffic lights, without a driver. The 8,3-meter-long Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK stands out as a sustainable and high-capacity transit solution that can efficiently meet 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 constantly ready for service.
