At its stand 505b in hall 5, Otokar presents the stand-alone version of its eCentroC6. It is a compact bus that can carry up to 32 passengers. It is 6.6 metres long and 2.9 metres high.
Denis Toublanc, Marketing and Customer Service Director at Otokar Europe, explains Otokar's electrification efforts: "We have developed our strategies while taking into account customer expectations and supply risks. We offer various battery options for our electric vehicles. The electrification of our portfolio will continue in line with market expectations.
On the other hand, we will keep increasing our investments in autonomous technologies, which we have been studying and developing intensively for a long time. Our autonomous vehicle e-CENTRO, which was developed entirely by our own engineering and software capabilities, has successfully passed the TÜV Rheinland tests. We aim to be a pioneer in the field of autonomous technologies in public transport. »
There is also an autonomous eCentro vehicle outside the halls where it is possible to take a test drive between the exhibition halls.
Without going too much into technical details, the vehicle is equipped with eyes, i.e. cameras linked to GPS and location functions. On-board cameras and radar enable the vehicle to move around its surroundings. The operator has determined the vehicle's route in advance. The vehicle moves at a moderate speed, taking into account the configuration of the location. If the vehicle encounters an obstacle, it will make an evasive manoeuvre. If the obstacle cannot be avoided, for example a vehicle at the intended stopping point, the vehicle will send an alarm to the operator's dispatch.
The autonomous system is operational today, but is not yet fully independent of human intervention.