Robot bus Välkky – now you can jump on board!
Välkky robot bus has received the necessary permits from Traficom to start operating on the Savilahti test route. The route was opened on 15.5.2024, when citizens had the opportunity to come and test the new robot bus. The bus can pick up 11 passengers at a time and all stops on the test route are in use.
After the opening day, Välkky operates in Savilahti on weekdays between 7.30 and 18.30 at least until September. The round trip on the pilot route takes approximately 30 minutes. More detailed timetables and possible exceptions will be updated in the Kuopio route guide as soon as possible.
During the test period, travel on Välkky is free of charge. There will be a security operator on board at all times, who will be able to guide the bus and provide travel advice if necessary. The security operators have been trained by the Savo Vocational College in cooperation with Remoted Oy.
The experiment is part of the EU-funded SHOW project (SHared automation Operating models for Worldwide adoption), in which Kuopio is the northernmost pilot site.
For more information:
City of Kuopio / Development Specialist Retu Ylinen, 044 718 5140, retu.ylinen@kuopio.fi
