Norway Approves Fully Driverless Buses for Public Roads

Norwegian authorities have granted permission for fully autonomous buses to operate on public roads. The decision, reported by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), applies to vehicles operated by Vy, the state-owned national transit company, and Kolumbus, the regional transit authority for Rogaland county. The approved buses will run without a human driver behind the wheel, marking the first instance of such deployment in Europe.

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The buses have been part of a ten-year testing program that began in 2022. During that period, the vehicles—referred to locally as “buses without hands on the wheel”—were equipped with a safety monitor driver who could intervene if necessary. The recent approval removes this requirement, allowing the vehicles to function autonomously under normal traffic conditions.

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Vy and Kolumbus will field the new service. The buses are produced by Karsan, a Turkish manufacturer, under the e-ATAK model designation. Autonomous driving capabilities are supplied by Adastec, which provides the level-four automation system that governs vehicle operation.

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The e-ATAK is a zero-emission electric bus with a capacity for 52 passengers. It is equipped with level-four autonomous driving technology, defined as “high driving automation” that does not require human interaction in most scenarios, though it remains one tier below level-five “full driving automation.” Upon successful completion of a conditional pilot, the buses are slated to operate on a fixed loop connecting a local hospital and a university.

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If the conditional pilot is passed, Norway would become the first European nation to officially deploy fully driverless buses alongside regular traffic. The rollout could influence regulatory approaches and commercial strategies for autonomous public transport across the continent, given the combination of electric propulsion and high-automation driving.

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Norwegian officials emphasized that the approval reflects confidence in the safety and reliability of the level-four system. NRK’s coverage noted that officials described the decision as a significant development for autonomous vehicles in Europe, while also acknowledging that the buses will continue to be monitored under the pilot conditions before full integration.

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• “That the safety monitor is being removed is a massive step for autonomous vehicles in Europe.” — NRK, coverage

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The e-ATAK buses are expected to begin service in May, pending the outcome of the conditional pilot. Their initial operation will be confined to the hospital-university loop, providing a controlled environment for performance assessment before any broader network expansion.

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