Karsan, a global technology-focused mobility brand in next-generation public transportation, has successfully completed its revolutionary autonomous project in Paris, the capital of France. This comprehensive six-month collaboration with RATP Group, one of Paris's leading public transportation operators, marks a historic milestone in the integration of autonomous technologies into real-world urban environments. During the project, the Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK operated for an average of 5 hours daily in open traffic, navigating complex urban conditions with pedestrians and vehicles, covering approximately 3.000 kilometers in total. This process concretely demonstrated the vehicle's high performance in all weather and traffic conditions.
Historic Test Approval from French Ministry of Transport
Karsan's Autonomous e-ATAK, developed in collaboration with its technology partner ADASTEC, has successfully passed the technical verification processes, one of the most critical stages of the project. Receiving a perfect score in the rigorous evaluations conducted on the test track of UTAC, France's leading automotive testing and certification organization, the vehicle has gained a global reference. Based on the technical results obtained, DGEC (Direction Générale de l'Énergie et du Climat), responsible for autonomous mobility approval processes under the French Ministry of Transport, granted the vehicle nationwide test approval. Thanks to this "Operational Approval" status, the Autonomous e-ATAK has become one of the first vehicles in France to be authorized to perform autonomous operation in open traffic, setting a benchmark for regulatory compliance in Europe.
Flawless Performance on Paris' Busiest Line
The operational phase of the project was carried out on bus line 393, one of the most critical lines carrying the transportation burden of Paris. System validation studies conducted on the approximately 8,5-kilometer central route between Sucy – Bonneuil RER and Thiais – Carrefour de la Résistance revealed the vehicle's high maneuverability. Karsan CEO Okan Baş emphasized the technical success of the project with the following words: “Our vehicle has proven its success in advanced driving scenarios such as navigation in mixed traffic conditions, precise docking at stops, and real-time interaction with traffic lights and intersections. Achieving a 98% success rate in autonomous driving without driver intervention during tests conducted over 6 months is the most concrete evidence of our high reliability and operational maturity in the field.”
Global Cooperation and Technological Competence
The strategic partnership established with ADASTEC on the technology side of the project demonstrated to the world that Level 4 autonomous driving is a scalable solution. ADASTEC CEO Dr. Ali Peker, in his statement regarding the importance of the project, stated that they proved that autonomous mobility can be implemented even on high-capacity BRT lines in one of the world's most complex metropolises. This achievement supports Karsan's vision of transforming public transportation with next-generation technologies across a wide geographical area stretching from Europe to the USA, while also reinforcing the brand's position in the international market. Okan Baş stated that obtaining this approval in a market with extremely strict regulations like France is a strong confirmation of Karsan's global vision.
2026 Goal: The Era of Safe, Driverless, Fully Autonomous Vehicles
For Karsan, the Paris project was not just a testing phase, but also laid the groundwork for a future mobility roadmap. The company is preparing to take this in-depth operational experience to the next level. The Autonomous e-ATAK, which quickly adapted to Paris's intense urban dynamics and advanced infrastructure systems, also increased the brand's collaboration potential in different markets.
Karsan's next goal is to reach the pinnacle of autonomous technology. The company plans to completely eliminate the safety driver from the system and transition to a fully autonomous operation model by 2026. Within this vision, a new project to be implemented in Stavanger, Norway, will present a global example of a fully autonomous model in urban transportation that requires no human intervention. With its motto of being "One Step Ahead in the Future of Mobility," Karsan continues its commitment to leading the transformation of cities worldwide and making autonomous public transportation a reality today.
