A level-four autonomous electric bus developed by Turkish firm Karsan and its technology partner AdasTec, is preparing to carry passengers in Sweden.

In August 2025, Karsan’s Autonomous e-Atak will start passenger service as Sweden’s first level-four autonomated vehicle in a project by Karsan in cooperation with AdasTec, Västtrafik, Vy Buss and Applied Autonomy.

The bus will connect Gothenburg’s central station to Liseberg station and provide uninterrupted transportation in the Gårda area of the city.

AdasTec’s Flowride.ai (www.adastec.com/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.

“Since the launch of Karsan Autonomous e-Atak in 2021, we have proven our reliability with 35,000 passenger experience,” said Karsan CEO Okan Baş. “Our vehicle, which performs smoothly in harsh weather conditions up to -25˚C, also became the first autonomous vehicle in Europe to pass through a tunnel.”

Ali Ufuk Peker, CEO of AdasTec (www.adastec.com), added: “The Flowride.ai software 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. 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.”

The Autonomous e-Atak broke ground by carrying passengers on a 5km route for 18 months on the Michigan State University campus in the USA. In Stavanger, Norway, it has been carrying ticketed passengers in open traffic since 2022, and recently expanded its existing route by updating it with a route including a tunnel. After the USA, Norway, France, Romania, Finland, Netherlands, Switzerland and Turkey, Karsan will now be present in Sweden with its autonomous e-Atak projects in nine different locations.

It uses a combination of lidar, radar, RGB cameras, GNSS and sensors that work together to provide precise navigation and situational awareness in different weather conditions. The vehicle, which can reach a speed of 40km/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, crossings and traffic lights, without a driver.

The 8.3m-long sustainable, high-capacity bus aims to meet Gothenburg’s urban transportation demands.

Since 1981, Karsan has been producing commercial vehicles, and its factory in Hasanağa, Bursa, Turkey, has the capacity to produce 20,000 vehicles in a single shift every year. The Hasanağa plant, which is structured with the flexibility to produce all kinds of vehicles from passenger cars to heavy trucks, minivans and buses, is 30km from Bursa city centre on a total area of 203,000m², 99,000m² of which is covered.

Karsan (www.karsan.com) produces the environmentally friendly Jest and Atak models under its own brand. In 2018, e-Jest, e-Atak in 2019, Autonomous e-Atak in 2021, e-ATA family’s 10m, 12m, 18m models in the same year, and e-ATA Hydrogen in 2022 were launched. In addition, at the end of 2023, it became the first European brand to enter the Japanese market with its right-hand drive 6m e-Jest vehicle.