Norwegian officials have approved fully autonomous buses for public use, with no human drivers required.
Since 2022, autonomous buses have been tested in Rogaland in Western Norway, with drivers onboard to monitor operations and ensure public safety. Now, however, the buses are set to operate fully autonomously.
The decision by Norwegian authorities to allow a level four autonomous bus to operate on public streets highlights how far the technology has come. On the self-driving scale, level four, known as “high driving automation”, means the vehicle can handle most situations without human input. It still falls short of level five, or “full driving automation,” where a car can perform all driving tasks a human could, with no intervention whatsoever.
For now, Norway’s new self-driving buses have a limited operating range. If they successfully pass a conditional pilot, the e-ATAK buses are expected to begin service in May on a loop connecting a local hospital and university, according to NRK, potentially making Norway the first country in Europe to officially deploy fully driverless buses on public roads alongside regular traffic.
The buses are electric, designed to provide zero-emissions transport, and can carry up to 52 passengers.