Image: Applied Autonomy/Innovation NorwayWhile the autonomous bus in Stavanger still requires preparation before operating, the project has made significant progress since 2022. A local initiative has been deploying an autonomous battery-electric bus, the e-ATAK, built by Karsan and equipped with technology from Adastec. The vehicle operates at Level 4 autonomy, enabling fully independent driving. However, it has so far always carried a safety driver on board.However, the partners have now reached a key milestone: Statens Vegvesen has approved the private operator Vy Buss to deploy Karsan’s autonomous electric bus in regular service within the Kolumbus network—now without a supervisor on board. This marks Europe’s first autonomous scheduled service without a safety driver.Regular service is set to begin later this month. The route navigates complex urban traffic situations, including several intersections and an approximately 800-metre-long tunnel. The bus operates in mixed traffic at speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour. While the exact length of the route remains unclear, project partners confirm it will be significantly longer than the original 2.6-kilometre pilot route tested in 2022.The deployment also utilises xFlow, a remote and fleet management software developed by the Norwegian company Applied Autonomy. The solution integrates the vehicle, control centre, and passengers. While each vehicle was individually monitored during the pilot phase, remote operation now enables a significant advancement: one person can oversee multiple vehicles simultaneously.The autonomous e-ATAK from Karsan was also recently tested for six months in Paris and is currently in use as part of the Albus project by Üstra in Burgdorf near Hanover. Autonomous buses and shuttles offer new perspectives for public transport. They could address driver shortages, reduce costs, enable new routes and on-demand services, and are ultimately expected to be safer than human-driven vehicles.appliedautonomy.no