Finland Launches Driverless Public Transport: Milan Among Next European Cities

The Finnish city of Tampere has made a significant leap in the introduction of autonomous mobility in a real-world context with a driverless bus now operational as an integral part of local public transport. The service is available on line 301, which connects Hervantajärvi and Lintuhytti, and represents one of the first examples of a completely autonomous vehicle integrated into daily line service and accessible to all passengers.

The vehicle had already begun circulating in city traffic in November 2025 with a safety driver onboard. After a long verification phase, the service has now entered a new stage where the bus operates without any physically present driver on the vehicle.

The autonomous bus follows a predetermined route at reduced speed and uses various sensors to constantly monitor the surrounding environment. The system can recognize obstacles or abnormal situations and, if necessary, automatically stop the vehicle.

However, the absence of a driver does not mean the absence of supervision. The entire service is indeed monitored in real-time by a remote control center, where specialized operators oversee the vehicle and can intervene if needed. One of the project's objectives is to transfer safety operators from the vehicles to the control centers, allowing for simultaneous supervision of multiple automated vehicles.

The bus can carry up to 12 passengers. The user experience remains similar to that of a traditional line ride, with ticket validation performed through the device installed next to the door. However, some additional rules are expected: passengers must wear seatbelts and remain seated for the entire journey.

The initiative is part of the European project metaCCAZE, funded through the Horizon Europe program. The city of Tampere and public transport operator Nysse are responsible for integrating the service within the urban network, including infrastructure and ticketing systems. The company REMOTED manages remote operations and system functionalities, while the University of Tampere handles research activities, user engagement, and monitoring of operational efficiency.

The metaCCAZE project aims to develop connected, automated electric mobility solutions for both passenger transport and freight. In addition to Tampere, the technologies are being tested in Amsterdam, Munich, and Limassol under real operational conditions. The results obtained will later be shared with other European cities, including Milan, with the goal of promoting the adoption of smart, zero-emission transport systems.