Karsan, the only independent manufacturer of multi-brand vehicles in Turkey for over 50 years, has put its mark under yet another first-of-its-kind initiative and started to work on public transport vehicles with autonomous driving skills. Starting the first phase of its work with Atak Electric, Karsan will bring Level-4 Autonomous driving skills in Atak Electric.
In a statement on this initiative, Karsan CEO Okan Baş said: “Our agility in rapidly adapting the technologies that seem far away, is one of our strongest competencies. We started works to ensure that Atak Electric enjoys Level-4 Autonomous driving skills, in other words, features an automatic driving system, which will handle all the requirements for a dynamic driving experience without the help of a driver. We expect to complete the prototype for Autonomous Atak Electric this August, and its simulation and validation tests will be carried out in our factory in Hasanağa, Bursa. That said, we will make Autonomous Atak Electric ready by the end of this year.”
Taking its vision already manifested in Jest Electric and Atak Electric one step further, Karsan has rolled up its sleeves to produce the public transport vehicles of the future. To this end, Karsan first initiated works for the autonomous driving skills to feature in Atak Electric.
The project to be carried out by Karsan’s R&D team aims to provide Atak Electric with Level-4 Autonomous driving skills. For the project the company collaborates with ADASTEC CORP., which has past experiences in autonomous vehicles, and expects to complete the first prototype for the Autonomous Atak Electric vehicle in August. Atak Electric will feature autonomous driving skills following the integration of Level-4 Autonomous software programs developed by ADASTEC CORP. into Atak Electric’s electrical and electronic architecture and electric vehicle software. The vehicle’s testing and validation works will continue until the end of the year.
“We’re working towards designing the transportation of the future”
Karsan CEO Okan Baş says that they continue to invest in technology and R&D and work for the good of the Turkish economy despite the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic sweeping across the world, added: “As you will remember, we became the first and only brand in Turkey to start the mass production of two full electric public transport vehicles in one year. At Karsan, we continue to work towards shaping the transportation of the future. We pay a particular attention to electric and autonomous vehicles. This segment also represents our brand vision. We are happy to have taken the very first step for the autonomous vehicles, on which we have been working for some time now to be able to complete works in 2020, while at the same time continuing to export Jest Electric and Atak Electric to the four across the world.”
“Autonomous Atak Electric will be ready by the end of the year”
“We started works to ensure that Atak Electric, which was developed by our R&D team and went into mass production in September 2019, enjoys Level-4 Autonomous driving skills, in other words, features an automatic driving system that will handle all the requirements for a dynamic driving experience without the help of a driver,” said Karsan CEO Okan Baş stating that Atak Electric will be the first model to boast autonomous driving features. “Accordingly, we also use special equipment that allows for the detection of all living and non-living things around the vehicle including radars, lidars and thermal cameras required for the performance of automatic driving functions. We will complete the first prototype for autonomous Atak Electric in August, and its simulation and validation tests will be carried out in our factory in Hasanağa, Bursa.
We will make Autonomous Atak Electric ready by the end of this year. Thanks to our leading approach in sustainable transportation solutions, we continue our efforts without slowing down even during the days of the pandemic. Speaking of which, I hope that we will get through this pandemic as soon as possible and return back to healthy days again,” continued Baş.
