A tram rear-ended Karsan's driverless e-ATAK bus, which had just started passenger service on its new route in Gothenburg, Sweden, only one hour after it entered service. According to Reuters, citing the regional public transport authority Vasttrafik, no one was injured in the incident.
Vasttrafik spokesperson Patrik Chi described the accident as follows: "The bus braked and was hit by the tram." This statement suggests that the autonomous bus braked in response to a traffic situation, and the collision was primarily caused by the tram's inability to stop in time.
Chi stated that the circumstances of the collision still need to be investigated, adding that "there was a safety driver on board the bus, who was ready to take control if needed."
In the footage published on the website of Swedish public broadcaster SVT, the damage to the rear of the bus and a warning on its bumper reading "Keep distance! The bus may brake sharply" drew attention. Karsan has not yet responded to Reuters' request for comment.
The accident occurred during the first hours of Gothenburg's one-year autonomous public transport trial using Karsan e-ATAK buses.
Update (26 May 2026) — Göteborgs-Posten:
Following the accident, Magnus Sandholm, head of the Gothenburg tram union, strongly criticised the integration process of autonomous buses. Sandholm criticised that tram drivers were not involved in the process at all, despite sharing the same route with autonomous vehicles, stating, "A risk analysis should certainly be conducted together with the tram drivers working on the route."
Åsa Wall, spokesperson for the Gothenburg tram operator, confirmed that drivers were given prior information about the operating hours, routes, and general working principles of the autonomous buses, but no training was provided on how to interact with autonomous vehicles in traffic.
Sandholm found this approach insufficient, emphasising that the real problem lies in how the autonomous system interprets traffic rules. The union head noted that according to Swedish traffic regulations, trams have right of way, posing the question:
"Were the correct yielding rules for trams defined in the system? All vehicles, with a few exceptions, are required to yield to trams. If this rule is not correctly defined in the system, the autonomous bus could stop at an entirely unexpected moment."
The union head pointed out that it was particularly telling that the accident occurred on Aschebergsgatan, a street used only by buses and trams:
"This shows that no real risk analysis was conducted on what would happen if an autonomous bus brakes suddenly on a tramway."
Sandholm announced that the union would discuss the matter with the employer and contact Vasttrafik or the bus operator:
"We cannot change our rules just because such a vehicle has been introduced. It is the buses that must accept the fact that trams operate according to different rules."
While Vasttrafik project leader Per Nyrenius commented, "This is a highly unfortunate start," Sandholm stated that he supported the decision to withdraw the buses from service:
"Of course, this was something that needed to be done immediately, so it's the right decision. But putting a vehicle on the road that can brake suddenly on a route where no other vehicle is supposed to operate... This should not have happened."
Update 2 (May 26, 2026) — Official Statement from Karsan Regarding the Incident:
Karsan has issued an official statement regarding the accident. The company stated that "an incomplete and misleading perception has been created in some news reflected in the public," emphasising that the autonomous driving system functioned as designed throughout the event.
The statement included the following: "While the Autonomous e-ATAK was continuing its operation within the scope of safety protocols by detecting obstacles in its surroundings in the traffic environment, the tram approaching from behind failed to maintain a sufficient following distance and made contact with the vehicle."
Based on initial findings, Karsan reported that the incident is not related to the autonomous driving system but is rather a traffic incident occurring within urban traffic flow. It was stated that all details of the incident continue to be evaluated together with the relevant local authorities and transportation stakeholders.
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