Karsan’s Autonomous e-JEST has started free passenger operations in Atlanta, Georgia under ATL Spoke, the city’s first autonomous public transport pilot, linking the MARTA West End Station with the Atlanta Beltline Southwest Trail from 5 June 2026. Four level-4 autonomous vehicles are in service seven days a week, running every 12–15 minutes.
ATL Spoke was established through a collaboration involving the Atlanta Beltline, the Georgia Transportation Efficiency Authority (GTEA), the City of Atlanta, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and service orchestrator Beep, using ADASTEC’s flowride.ai for level-4 autonomous control. The vehicles comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the service coincides with a major international football tournament in Atlanta.
ATL Spoke marks Karsan’s first North American passenger deployment, part of an initial 10-unit North American order for the Autonomous e-JEST. The Turkish manufacturer has operated the Autonomous e-ATAK, the world’s first level-4 autonomous public transport vehicle, since 2021, and launched the Autonomous e-JEST across Europe and North America in 2025.
In a statement, Clyde Higgs, President and Chief Executive of the Atlanta Beltline, said: “This project is piloting the future of neighbourhood mobility in a way that improves access to transit and opportunity.”
Source: Karsan