Karsan, Türkiye's technology-focused global mobility brand, has brought its extensive experience in autonomous public transportation to the North American continent. The company has begun transporting passengers with its driverless model, the Autonomous e-JEST, within the scope of "ATL Spoke," the first autonomous public transportation pilot project implemented in Atlanta, Georgia. This strategic step expands the brand's global autonomous vision and serves as a crucial reference project to support urban transportation networks in major international sporting events in the future.
Free and Sustainable Transportation on the Streets of Atlanta
The project, carried out in collaboration with technology partner ADASTEC, North American distributor Damera, and service orchestration partner Beep, officially launched on June 5th. Karsan Autonomous e-JEST provides free transportation services to citizens between MARTA West End Station, considered the heart of urban mobility, and the Atlanta Beltline Southwest Trail route. This route, which connects health centers, restaurants, educational institutions, and social areas, will serve an even wider area with the addition of a connection to Atlanta University Center by the end of the summer.
It will be a strong reference for global sports organizations.
Operating seven days a week without interruption, the driverless vehicles will offer a high-frequency transportation model with frequent departures every 12 to 15 minutes. The autonomous e-JEST, planned to be actively operating during the world's largest football tournament in Atlanta, will handle the intense tourist and passenger traffic expected in the city. Karsan CEO Okan Baş emphasized that this project will provide significant insights into proving the performance of autonomous vehicles during periods of high passenger demand and will shed light on future smart urban transportation solutions.
Disabled citizens were not forgotten; zero emissions are the target.
All vehicles are designed to be 100% compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. This ensures easy access to transportation for all passengers with varying mobility levels. CEO Okan Baş stated, “Following our successes in Europe, strengthening our presence in North America is a source of pride. We aim to build an environmentally friendly, zero-emission transportation ecosystem while integrating sustainable mobility solutions into urban life. We are proud to offer a fully integrated autonomous network to the Atlanta Beltline with Beep and ADASTEC.”
Technological Revolution in Driverless Fleet Management
Atlanta Beltline CEO Clyde Higgs stated that the project is a visionary pilot application for the future of regional mobility, while Beep COO Clayton Tino noted that their AutonomOS platform allows them to easily manage an autonomous vehicle network in complex urban areas from a single center. ADASTEC CEO Dr. Ali Peker added that the coordinated operation of four autonomous e-JEST vehicles simultaneously proves that Level 4 autonomous bus technology can evolve from individual use to a scalable mass transit fleet.
Great Order Success Immediately Following the Launch
Karsan's history in autonomous public transportation dates back to the Autonomous e-ATAK model, the world's first Level-4 autonomous vehicle that has successfully served in real road conditions since 2021. Applying this experience to the e-JEST model, Karsan attracted attention by receiving a bulk order of 10 units from the North American market from the moment of its global launch. These vehicles, which are among the most powerful members of Karsan's artificial intelligence family, continue to successfully represent Türkiye's engineering strength in the global automotive market while providing modern solutions to daily transportation needs with the Atlanta project.
