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Milestone in Norway: Autonomous Bus Now Operating Without a Safety Driver – xFlow® Scales Public Transit Amidst Global Driver Shortage
Milestone in Norway: Autonomous Bus Now Operating Without a Safety Driver – xFlow® Scales Public Transit Amidst Global Driver Shortage
STAVANGER, NORWAY – The autonomous bus project in Stavanger has reached a historic milestone. For the first time in Norway, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration has granted permission for transport operators Vy and Kolumbus to operate an autonomous bus—the Karsan autonomous e-ATAK—on regular public routes without a safety driver behind the wheel. This breakthrough is powered by the xFlow® fleet management platform from Applied Autonomy.
While the vehicle’s autonomous driving software is delivered by ADASTEC, the xFlow® system acts as the "digital control tower." The platform enables operators to monitor, manage, and provide remote passenger assistance from a centralized hub, fundamentally transforming how public transport is delivered.
A Solution to Europe’s Labor Crisis
A Solution to Europe’s Labor Crisis
The public transport sector across Europe is currently facing a critical challenge, with an estimated shortage of over 105,000 bus drivers. This deficit threatens service reliability and prevents the expansion of transit networks.
“By implementing xFlow®, we are removing the primary bottleneck for scaling public transport,” says Olav Madland, CEO of Applied Autonomy. “Our technology allows a single remote operator to support and oversee multiple vehicles simultaneously. This provides a unique opportunity to maintain and even expand route services in areas where recruiting traditional drivers is no longer feasible.”
Driving Significant Cost Savings
Driving Significant Cost Savings
Beyond addressing the labor crisis, the transition to remote-assisted autonomous operations introduces a more sustainable economic model for municipalities and transport operators.
“With xFlow®, there is a clear path to significant cost savings,” Madland elaborates. “By optimizing operations and shifting roles from manual driving to advanced fleet management and remote passenger care, we can deliver more public transit for every dollar spent. This is the key to making autonomous buses a commercially viable solution rather than just a pilot project.”
About the Stavanger Project
About the Stavanger Project
The green autonomous bus, operated by Vy within the Kolumbus network, is already a landmark in Stavanger. With this new permit, the project moves into a phase where technology proves its real-world value in live traffic, backed by Applied Autonomy’s market-leading solutions for secure remote monitoring and control.
About Applied Autonomy:
Applied Autonomy is a leading provider of solutions for autonomous vehicle integration and fleet management. Its core platform, xFlow®, enables the secure and efficient implementation of self-driving transport into existing urban ecosystems.
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