Jonathan Taylor reports from the launch of Karsan’s latest autonomous bus project, and finds out why the industry must come to terms with the developing technology
The Swiss people like autonomy. They are not an EU member nation and they transact in their own Swiss Franc currency. Their country is divided into 26 autonomous districts known as Cantons which have local powers over everything not covered by Swiss Federal law. This means they really are autonomous regions, managing their own taxes, healthcare, education, social welfare and law enforcement. Switzerland, then, was a fitting venue, on 14 August, for the opening ceremony, and first passenger run, of the ‘Artour’ Karsan Autonomous e-Atak bus in the town of Arbon. It was the culmination of years of work between local, regional, national and international partners. Located on the south western shore of Lake Constance, which forms the border with Germany, Arbon is just over an hour’s drive from Zurich. People have continuously inhabited the area now forming the town since the Stone Age. For its size (2025 population about 14,000), Arbon packs quite a history, including a long association with the automotive industry.
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