Karsan has begun offering free passenger services for visitors at the Efteling theme park in the Netherlands, connecting the park’s main transport hub with hotels, accommodation facilities and visitor amenities in the area.
The company has supplied an Autonomous e-ATAK bus for use along a route of approximately 6km, which will transport passengers between the Efteling Hoofdingang and Wonderhotel stops in mixed traffic using SAE Level-4 autonomous driving technology.
An official launch of the project took place at Efteling on 10 August, and was attended by representatives from Efteling, Arriva, the Province of North Brabant, the Municipality of Loon op Zand, the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW), Dutch Automated Mobility, AON and ADASTEC.
The project itself was implemented through a collaboration between Karsan, Arriva, the Province of North Brabant, the Municipality of Loon op Zand, SmartwayZ.NL, Dutch Automated Mobility, Applied Autonomy and ADASTEC.
Following a recent operation at Rotterdam The Hague Airport; Efteling marks Karsan’s second autonomous bus deployment on public roads in the Netherlands. During the pilot program, which is planned to run for approximately two months, passenger experience, operational performance and field data will be analysed in detail, with all findings expected to contribute to future autonomous public transportation projects planned for the Netherlands and other parts of Europe.
Karsan CEO Utku Ayyarkın said:We are extremely proud that Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK has become the first autonomous bus to operate on public roads in the North Brabant region of the Netherlands.
Following our operation at Rotterdam The Hague Airport, this second autonomous deployment in the Netherlands further strengthens our position in Europe with another important reference project. At Karsan, we do not simply anticipate the future of mobility; we make our advanced technology solutions part of everyday life.
Through autonomous projects implemented across different countries and use cases, we are turning the future of public transportation into reality today.
