Playing a pioneering role in the transformation of public transportation into electric and autonomous vehicles, Karsan continues to break new ground in the sector with its innovative technologies. Karsan, which has become a global brand with its successful projects in a wide geography from Japan to the USA, provides service with its electric vehicles in 23 countries on 3 continents. In this context, Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK, the world’s first Level 4 autonomous electric bus developed by Karsan and its technology partner ADASTEC, is preparing to carry passengers in the Swedish market.
It will start carrying passengers in August 2025
In August 2025, Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK will start passenger service as Sweden’s first Level 4 autonomated vehicle in a project realized by Karsan in cooperation with ADASTEC, Västtrafik, Vy Buss and Applied Autonomy. With the realization of the project, Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK will connect Gothenburg’s Central Station to Liseberg Station and provide an uninterrupted and efficient transportation solution in the Gårda area of the city. Within the project, ADASTEC’s flowride.ai platform seamlessly integrates with Gothenburg’s transit infrastructure, creating an operationally efficient and accessible route that enhances the city’s connectivity. The bus will initially operate as part of Västtrafik’s public transportation network. Stating that they continue to play a pioneering 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 35,000 passenger experience. Our vehicle, which performs smoothly in harsh weather conditions up to minus 25 degrees, also became the first autonomous vehicle in Europe to pass through a tunnel. The firsts and successful works we have realized encourage us even more to achieve much better ones.” Dr. Ali Ufuk Peker, CEO of ADASTEC, said: “The flowride.ai software developed by ADASTEC has proven itself with real-world applications in buses integrated by Karsan at the factory, adding value to local communities with sustainable and accessible public transportation solutions. This project in Gothenburg once again demonstrates the global importance of autonomous public transportation for sustainability and urban mobility. We believe that such initiatives will lay an important foundation for creating smarter, more connected cities that reduce carbon footprint and increase inclusivity in the future.“
35 thousand passenger experience, the first and only in the world
Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK broke new ground in the world by carrying passengers on a 5-kilometer route for 1.5 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 expanded its existing route by updating it with a route including a tunnel, and successfully passed another challenging test as the first autonomous vehicle to pass through a tunnel. After the USA, Norway, France, Romania, Finland, Netherlands, Switzerland and Türkiye, Karsan will now be present in Sweden with its autonomous e-ATAK projects in 9 different locations. Karsan continues to be the world’s first and only level-4 autonomous bus carrying passengers in open traffic.
Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK is ready for continuous service
Equipped with the Advanced Sensor Suite, 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 a speed of 40 km/h in autonomous driving in all weather conditions, day or night, performs all operations performed by a bus driver, such as approaching the stops on the route, managing the boarding and alighting 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 is a sustainable, high-capacity transit solution that can efficiently meet Gothenburg’s urban transportation demands. The bus’s ability to be fully charged in 5 hours with AC units and 3 hours with DC units ensures that the vehicle is always ready for service.