A new era in public transport has begun at the European Forum Alpbach 2026, held in Austria's Tyrol region. The country's leading transport company, ÖBB, has begun using an electric bus with fully autonomous driving functionality compliant with SAE Level-4 in passenger transport for the first time in Austria. The Autonomous e-Centro, developed entirely with Otokar's own engineering and software capabilities – a Koç Group company – is carrying passengers along a designated route within Alpbach. The transport service is being offered free of charge as part of the pilot application.
Real-World Testing in Challenging Topography
Alpbach's challenging topography, narrow streets and busy traffic environment constitute an important practical test for the future of mobility in terms of deploying a fully autonomous bus. ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä stated: "Innovative technologies must be tested not only in laboratory environments, but also in real conditions. Such practical experiences are of critical importance for us to be able to improve public transport step by step."
Otokar European Commercial Director Anna Mejer assessed the project with the words: "This project, which combines ÖBB's extensive expertise in public transport with Otokar's experience in autonomous mobility, lays a solid foundation for the future of autonomous public transport."
24/7 Uninterrupted Service Capability
According to Otokar's data, the e-Centro, featuring Level-4 autonomous driving technology, has the capability to operate entirely without a driver in the future. Developed to comply with traffic rules, the vehicle perceives its location precisely. Capable of providing uninterrupted service in different weather conditions, day and night at all hours, the e-Centro pulls up to stops along the designated route, enabling passengers to board and alight without difficulty. In accordance with Austrian law, a safety driver is currently present on board.
All software development, testing and implementation phases of the Autonomous e-Centro were carried out entirely in-house by Otokar's competent and dedicated teams. Otokar has experience in autonomous transport in Europe, including Madrid, and is now transferring this experience to applications in Austria.
Next Step: Wolfurt Campus
The findings to be obtained from the pilot application in Alpbach will form the basis for subsequent projects. In the next step, Otokar's fully autonomous e-Centro will connect companies in the industrial park at the Wolfurt campus in Vorarlberg to the S-Bahn. This application aims to demonstrate how autonomous vehicles can complement public transport and create additional mobility services.
Note
If you have any photos or video footage to support our news story, please share them with us using the information provided on our contact us page.
