A self-driving bus was involved in a collision with a tram on its inaugural day transporting passengers in the Swedish city of Gothenburg, according to Vasttrafik, the public transport company operating the service.
The incident occurred on Monday when the autonomous bus, manufactured by Turkey's Karsan, braked and was struck from behind by a tram. Patrik Chi, a spokesperson for Vasttrafik, confirmed there were no casualties or personal injuries resulting from the crash.
"It's an incredibly sad start," Chi remarked, adding that the circumstances surrounding the collision still require investigation. He noted that a safety driver was present on board the bus, ready to take control if necessary.
The bus had been operating in central Gothenburg since late March but was only carrying passengers for the first time on Monday. Earlier that day, Vasttrafik CEO Lars Backström had expressed enthusiasm about the trial, stating in a press release: "Finally! This is an important step for us. By driving with passengers on board, we get the opportunity to learn both how the technology works in real traffic and how passengers experience the journey."
Backström had outlined a phased approach that would eventually test vehicles without a safety driver in the front seat. The bus has since been removed from service for a thorough inspection.
Footage from public broadcaster SVT's website showed damage to the bus, which also displayed a banner on its rear reading: "Keep distance! The bus may brake sharply."
Sweden's Transportstyrelsen transport agency had authorized the bus to carry passengers as part of a trial scheduled to run until July 31, 2027. Self-driving buses and shuttles in Europe operate under local authorizations, granted on a city-by-city and route-by-route basis, often on private roads.
The self-driving bus is nearly identical in size to a regular bus and travels at comparable speeds. The European Union has not yet granted Europe-wide approvals for the commercial deployment of self-driving public transport or robotaxis.
