Bringing future technologies to the present day and navigating the sector with pioneering attempts, Karsan continues to break new ground in global markets. Drawing attention with its innovations in the European electric public transport market, Karsan also keeps moving to do what has not been done before in self-driving transport. In this regard, Karsan, which has signed an agreement to export two Autonomous e-ATAK buses to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, will also execute the world’s first airport autonomous project with its autonomous business partner ADASTEC.
Karsan’s first export to the Netherlands
Two Autonomous e-ATAK buses, the world’s first serially produced Level 4 autonomous bus developed by Karsan and its business partner ADASTEC, will be delivered to RET, Rotterdam’s public transport operator, in November. Autonomous e-ATAK, road tests of which are planned to be completed by the end of December, will start to offer service on the route in January 2025. Stating that they play a leading role in driving global public transport with the vision of being “One Step Ahead in the Future of Mobility,” Karsan CEO Okan Baş noted that the first export to the Netherlands will be realized following this signature. Okan Baş, who emphasized that the autonomous e-ATAK has proven its success with the awards and its services in the regions where it carries passengers, said, “Owing to this project, we will be the first brand in the world to carry out airport transfers with an autonomous vehicle. Our vehicles will transport their passengers from the Meijersplein metro station to Rotterdam Airport and back to the metro station again. On this 5-kilometer route, they will offer this service autonomously, letting the passengers have this short trip with their luggage.” Expressing their happiness for the project, Dr. Ali Peker, CEO of ADASTEC said: “The projects we have developed by combining Karsan’s innovative approach and production quality with ADASTEC’s technological know-how in the autonomous driving software platform set new standards in the sector. This project in the Netherlands is of great importance as it demonstrates how autonomous public transport can be effectively used in the airport environment. As ADASTEC, we will continue to shape future public transport solutions and contribute to sustainable mobility across the globe. This success story is an indication of ADASTEC and Karsan’s commitment to building a better world, not only for today but also for future generations.”
Okan Baş: “We will continue to transform public transport“
Reminding 67 thousand km of autonomous driving experience Karsan’s Autonomous e-ATAK has gained by serving on different routes in the USA, Norway, Turkey, Romania, and France, Okan Baş stated “Autonomous e-ATAK is the first vehicle in Europe, which provided autonomous public transport services in the city. It has been serving Stavanger, Norway, since 2022. We recently updated and expanded this route, enabling the first self-driving vehicle in Europe to pass through the tunnel. In the Netherlands, we maintain our attack on autonomous electric public transport, which we have initiated with Norway. Karsan will continue to lead the transformation in more countries by maintaining its attack on autonomous electric public transport.“