June 14, 2024
In a remarkable fusion of culture and cutting-edge technology, the City of Tartu has officially launched a four-month pilot of the self-driving cultural shuttle developed by Auve Tech. The shuttle connects Tartu’s city centre with the Estonian National Museum and supports the city’s role as the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024.
This initiative brings to life months of intensive collaboration across three time zones. From a chance meeting between Kensuke Nakajima and Oliver Ait from the Estonian Embassy in Tokyo in 2023. What began as a conversation in a Tokyo coffee shop has become one of Estonia’s most forward-looking testbed projects.
A cross-continental collaboration brings AI-powered mobility to the European Capital of Culture 2024
Thanks to a strong partnership between Yazaki Innovations, Inc., Avanti R&D Inc., and Auve Tech, the shuttle experience is secure and intelligent. Passengers benefit from advanced machine learning, computer vision, and language detection, which provide real-time safety enhancements and a personalized cultural guide in localized languages.
With this pilot, the City of Tartu is setting a global benchmark for integrating smart infrastructure with meaningful cultural experiences. It also reinforces Estonia’s reputation as a leader in digital innovation.
This project would not be possible without the dedication and vision of our collaborators:
Tetsuhiro Hattori, Hiroshi Yano, Mike Ramirez, Dustin Gyurina, Go Yuasa, Jaanus Tamm, and Johannes Mossov.
We invite technology enthusiasts and cultural explorers alike to experience this milestone in the future of urban mobility.
