Spain to Use Otokar’s Autonomous e-CENTRO

The Autonomous e-Centro, Otokar’s CCAM Level 4+ autonomous urban bus will be in operation for the first time in Europe. In line with the purpose of efficient and sustainable mobility, the vehicle will be used for passenger transport in Mercamadrid, Spain. Provided by Otokar’s dealer in Spain Somauto, the Autonomous e-Centro will be operated by the largest bus operator of the country Alsa.

Türkiye’s leading automotive manufacturer Otokar’s Autonomous e-Centro officially started service on November 11, 2025, in Mercamadrid, Spain. At the launch event, the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida Navasqüés, and an official delegation from all stakeholders inspected the vehicle and took part in a roundtrip on the route.

Autonomous e-Centro, which has entirely in-house developed autonomous driving technology by Otokar’s dedicated teams, has started to be used in public transportation. The vehicle will be operated by Alsa, leading Spanish operator. This vehicle is Alsa’s first CCAM Level 4 + autonomous bus, which will be operated in open traffic with passengers. Alsa provides autonomous services in Mercamadrid SA.’s smart urban area in coorperation with Madrid City Council Digital Office.

This vehicle is a part of Mobilities for EU Project, which is the part of the European strategy for sustainable, connected, and safe mobility. It represents a step forward toward emission-free public transport with greater efficiency and operational safety.

In line with the purpose of efficient and sustainable mobility, the Autonomous e-Centro will be used in public transportation in Mercamadrid. Spain is the first country in Europe where the Otokar’s autonomous vehicle will operate in public transportation. This is a milestone for Spain in safe and connected autonomous mobility.

Otokar’s Level 4 + autonomous technology is tested by INSIA, authorized testing center by Spanish authorities. All technical documentation approved by the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), which is the authority for road safety, traffic management vehicle registration across the Spain. The DGT authorization allowed the Autonomous e-Centro to be used on controlled public roads, within supervised testing and validation programs.

24/7 DRIVERLESS OPERATION CAPABILITY

Equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving technology, the e-Centro is capable of fully driverless operation. Designed to comply with traffic regulations, the vehicle accurately identifies its location and delivers uninterrupted service throughout the day, in different weather conditions. It precisely approaches designated stops, ensuring smooth boarding and disembarkation for passengers. This autonomous driver has advanced maneuvering capabilities; including swerving, overtaking, reverse driving, U-turns, uphill/downhill management, roundabout and unregulated intersection management. All software development, testing, and implementation for the Autonomous e-Centro were carried out entirely in-house by Otokar’s highly skilled and dedicated teams.

The Autonomous e-Centro has successfully completed comprehensive testing by TÜV Rheinland in Hungary. Over a 30-day period, the vehicle was evaluated in 148 different scenario variations and passed more than 600 autonomous driving tests.