Norway Greenlights Fully Driverless Buses for Public Roads in Historic First for Europe

Norway Approves Europe’s First Fully Driverless Buses for Public Roads

After a decade of testing, Norwegian officials have approved fully autonomous buses for operation on public roads—without any human driver behind the wheel. The decision, first reported by Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), allows two transit operators, Vy (a national state-owned company) and Kolumbus (the regional authority for Rogaland), to deploy the vehicles.

Autonomous Buses Already Operating—But With Safety Monitors

Autonomous buses, referred to in Norway as “buses without hands on the wheel,” have been in service in Rogaland since 2022. However, these earlier models included a human safety monitor who could intervene if needed. The removal of this requirement represents a major leap for autonomous vehicle adoption in Europe.

e-ATAK Buses: Zero-Emission, Level Four Autonomy

The approved buses are the e-ATAK, manufactured by Turkish company Karsan. These electric buses have a capacity of 52 passengers and feature level four autonomous driving technology provided by Adastec.

In the autonomous vehicle classification system, level four—known as “high driving automation”—means the system can handle most driving tasks without human input. However, it still falls short of level five, which would allow full autonomy in all conditions.

Limited Route and Pilot Phase

If the conditional pilot succeeds, the e-ATAK buses will begin service in May 2024, operating on a fixed loop between a local hospital and a university in Rogaland. While unforeseen issues could arise during the pilot, officials anticipate approval, which would make Norway the first European country to deploy fully driverless buses in regular traffic.

This development follows global trends in autonomous transit, though Norway’s approach is notably more advanced in removing all human oversight from public road operations.

Key Facts About Norway’s Autonomous Bus Initiative

• Manufacturer: Karsan (Turkey)
• Bus Model: e-ATAK
• Autonomy Level: Level four (high automation)
• Passenger Capacity: 52
• Power Source: Zero-emission electric
• Autonomy Technology Provider: Adastec
• Operators: Vy and Kolumbus
• Deployment Start: May 2024 (pending pilot success)
• Route: Loop between hospital and university in Rogaland
• First Reported By: Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK)

Norway’s approval of fully driverless buses underscores its leadership in autonomous transit innovation, setting a potential precedent for other European nations.