Karsan, which plays a pioneering role in the electrification and autonomous transformation of public transportation worldwide, continues to draw attention with its innovative models and superior service approach. Expanding its global presence day by day, Karsan stands out as the first choice in many countries, particularly in Europe. In this context, the Autonomous e-ATAK, the world’s first Level-4 driverless public transportation vehicle operating on a planned route, continues to be the first choice, especially for historic settlements that have successfully preserved their historic fabric.
Karsan is transforming public transport into autonomous across 8 countries
Karsan’s Autonomous e-ATAK made history by operating on a 5-kilometer route at Michigan State University in the USA for 1.5 years, becoming the world’s first autonomated bus. In the city of Stavanger, Norway, the Autonomous e-ATAK has been carrying ticketed passengers in open traffic since 2022, and earlier this year, it expanded its existing route to include a tunnel, successfully passing a significant challenge as the first autonomous vehicle to do so. Having launched autonomous projects in 7 different locations with Autonomous e-ATAK, which recently began operating in Finland after the USA, Norway, France, Romania, and Türkiye, Karsan has achieved 80,000 kilometers of autonomous driving experience, transporting over 30,000 passengers. Additionally, Karsan has also signed an airport autonomous project in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and with the delivery of 2 Autonomous e-ATAKs at the end of 2024, Karsan will be the first brand in the world to carry out airport transfers with an autonomous vehicle.
Adding another success to these projects, Karsan is now preparing to bring its Autonomous e-ATAK to Switzerland. The Autonomous e-ATAK, which will serve in the historic city of Arbon and will be the country’s first driverless bus, was purchased under the SCCL (Self-Controlled City Liner) project of TGA and will be delivered to the city by Karsan in December. As of January 2025, it will begin passenger transportation under the operator Eurobus Ostschweiz AG in Arbon.
Commenting on Karsan’s continued innovative steps under the vision of “One Step Ahead in the Future of Mobility,” Karsan CEO Okan Baş said, “We continue to transform the transportation infrastructure worldwide, especially in Europe, with our electric and autonomous vehicles. Through the work we have done outside of our main target markets, we provide services with our brand in a very wide geography, from Japan to the USA, from design to production, from sales marketing to after-sales.” Emphasizing that the Autonomous e-ATAK, which is the first vehicle in Europe to provide autonomous public transportation services within the city in open traffic, also achieved the significant milestone of being the first driverless vehicle to pass through a tunnel in Europe, Okan Baş said, “Our vehicle offers a comfortable and eco-friendly autonomous travel experience without disrupting the historic texture of Arbon’s narrow streets, thanks to its compact structure. We are proud to take on a pioneering role in Switzerland’s transition to driverless public transport with our Autonomous e-ATAK, which will provide passenger transport services in autonomous mode on a 2.2-kilometer public transport route. In the Swiss market, where we initially entered with our Jest vehicle, we aim to further solidify our presence with the delivery of 23 electric e-ATAK vehicles to one of the country’s largest operators in August and September.” ADASTEC CEO Dr. Ali Peker, speaking about the project, said, “As ADASTEC, we continue to grow globally with the collaboration we have established with Karsan. With the operation we carried out in Stavanger, we achieved a first in Europe, and in the USA, we deployed America’s first automated bus at Michigan State University. These projects have not only automated public transport systems but also marked significant steps towards a smarter, more connected, and sustainable future. We continue to serve in Norway, Rotterdam, Finland, and many other European cities, and now we are making public transport more accessible and efficient in Arbon. These successes are the result of the shared vision we have with Karsan. I would also like to thank TGA, the project owner, and Eurobus, the operator, for their contributions to the project. With this strong collaboration, we continue to lead innovation in public transport and aim to provide global solutions to more communities every day, creating local benefits.“
Future of driverless transportation with high technology
The Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK is equipped with numerous LiDAR sensors located at various points on the vehicle. In addition, the advanced radar technology located at the front, along with the high-resolution image processing capability of RGB cameras, provides extra environmental safety, making it one of the many innovative features of the Autonomous e-ATAK. Offering all these technologies at Level-4 Autonomous, the Autonomous e-ATAK can operate on a planned route without a driver. The vehicle can reach up to 40 km/h in autonomous driving mode in all weather conditions, day or night, and can autonomously perform all the tasks a bus driver would typically handle, such as docking at stops, managing boarding and alighting processes, and navigating intersections and traffic lights.