ÖBB Postbus Tests Fully Autonomous Electric Bus in Public Transport

• ÖBB Postbus chose Otokar as technology partner
• ÖBB Postbus reaches milestone for autonomous mobility with Level 4 application in public transport
• Following pilot operation in Alpbach, Otokar’s Autonomous e-Centro is planned to operate on a regular scheduled service in Wolfurt
• Project with potential for rollout in further regions of Austria

Autonomous driving has developed into a concrete mobility solution in recent years, and Austria’s ÖBB Postbus company is actively helping shape this future technology.

ÖBB Postbus, the leading public transportation company of Austria, chose Otokar, the pioneer and leading bus brand of Türkiye, as its technology partner to bring an electrically powered bus with fully autonomous driving functionality at SAE Level 4 to Austria for pilot operation. This level enables fully autonomous driving without permanent intervention by the driver.

The autonomous e-Centro was presented in the press conference held August 13, 2026 in Vienna and will begin pilot operation at the European Forum Alpbach 2026, to take place in Austria between August 24 and September 4, 2026. During the initial phase, a driver is still required to be present inside the vehicle for safety. Subsequently, the fully autonomous e-Centro is planned to be deployed in regular operation at the Wolfurt Campus.

During the press conference Peter Hanke, Federal Minister of Austria, emphasizes in this context the importance of automated mobility for Austria as a business and innovation location: “Autonomous mobility is an important element of a more modern, safer and more efficient mobility system and at the same time a great opportunity for Austria as a business and innovation location. I see particularly great potential in public transport. Autonomous buses can complement and expand existing services, for example on the first and last mile, in rural regions or at times when conventional scheduled services are difficult to operate. Austria should not merely observe this development, but actively help shape it, keep value creation in the country and make Austrian know-how visible internationally.”

“Autonomous driving is no longer a vision of the future, but a technology with great potential for public transport. Our aim is to actively help shape this development and gain experience at an early stage. In this way, we are creating the basis for using new technologies responsibly and, in the long term, providing passengers with even better mobility services,” emphasizes ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä.

“For many years, we have been investing extensively in technologies for autonomous mobility that will shape the future of public transport. Today, we offer far more than an innovative vehicle-we deliver a fully integrated, turnkey mobility solution based entirely on Otokar’s own engineering expertise and proprietary software, and validated according to the highest international standards,” says Kerem Erman, Head of Commercial Vehicles.
 
Key Technology in Public Transport

For ÖBB, autonomous driving is a key technology for the future of public transport. While the technology is developing rapidly worldwide, it is now important to build experience, secure know-how and test concrete applications.

The focus is on the question of how autonomous mobility can meaningfully complement and further strengthen public transport. Future applications range from clearly defined routes within regional mobility services to solutions for the first and last mile. With this project, ÖBB is creating the basis for gradually testing autonomous mobility solutions and, in the longer term, deploying them in further regions and additional fields of application.

Technology from International Real-World Applications

The fully electric Autonomous e-CENTRO from Otokar will be used. The vehicle features SAE Level 4 technology. This means that, within a clearly defined operational area, the bus can generally take over the driving task autonomously. Under Austrian law, however, a trained safety driver is still required to be on board. The autonomous vehicle can accommodate up to 32 passengers and features barrier-free low-floor access with a wheelchair ramp.

Otokar already brings international experience in autonomous scheduled services. The Turkish manufacturer has already put its autonomous e-CENTRO into regular operation in Madrid and therefore has practical experience in deploying autonomous buses under real-world conditions. These findings will now feed into the projects in Austria.

From Pilot Operation to Series Deployment

The autonomous bus will initially be tested on a defined route as part of the European Forum Alpbach. Following the initial tests in Alpbach, the autonomous e-bus is intended to connect companies at the Campus Wolfurt industrial park to the S-Bahn. This will allow the contribution that autonomous mobility solutions can make to attractive and efficient public transport in the future to be tested under real-world operating conditions.