INIT reinforces leadership
in autonomous driving

Long-standing research enhanced by market-ready management systems for autonomous driving

Thanks to xFlow®, the technical supervision team in Rotterdam has a clear overview of the vehicles at all times and can intervene if necessary. (© Applied Autonomy | Olav Madland)

Karlsruhe  / Kongsberg– 08 October 2026

On 1 October 2026, INIT acquired a 67.74 per cent stake in the Norwegian company Applied Autonomy. Established in 2017, the start-up specialises in the development of software solutions for the operation, monitoring and management of autonomous vehicles in public transport, at airports and in the logistics sector. INIT is leveraging its majority stake in Applied Autonomy to strategically bolster its technological capabilities in this business segment.

Based in Kongsberg, a leading Norwegian centre for technology and innovation, the company specialises in the integration and control of autonomous mobility solutions for public transport, airports and logistics applications. Its core product is the xFlow® platform, a manufacturer-agnostic software solution for controlling autonomous vehicles. It enables what is known as ‘technical supervision’ for autonomous vehicles. In addition to integrating autonomous vehicles from different manufacturers, the platform monitors the vehicles in real time, enables remote operator functions when there is no driver on board and provides operational data for downstream systems. 

INIT’s MOBILE-ITCS control system and xFlow® enable the management of autonomous vehicles and mixed fleets, which include both autonomous and conventional vehicles. The result is an integrated solution that ensures the safe and efficient operation of self-driving vehicle fleets in real-world traffic conditions. 

Technological milestones achieved in Norway, the Netherlands and Germany

The world’s first autonomous airport bus has been in service in Rotterdam since 2025. (© INIT | Dr. Frank Pagel)

Applied Autonomy is already a highly successful company in this field. The only autonomous bus in Europe operating on a regular route without a safety driver is in service in the city of Stavanger, utilising xFlow® as its digital operations and control platform. Two autonomous buses equipped with xFlow® have been in service in Rotterdam since 2025.

“As a small, innovative company, we have made our mark internationally. We are therefore delighted about our partnership with INIT, an international technology leader, because together we can scale our business very quickly and significantly accelerate our growth,” said Olav Madland, CEO of Applied Autonomy. 

INIT has been conducting extensive research into autonomous driving for many years, earning industry-wide recognition for its expertise in this field. As part of these efforts, INIT is currently leading “BRAVE10k”, a flagship research and implementation project. The name stands for ‘Conditions for the framework tender, implementation, road authorisation and roll-out of more than 10,000 public autonomous vehicles’. 

Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) and scheduled to run for three years, the project focuses on integrating 10,000 autonomous vehicles into public transport across Germany by 2030. Together, the two companies will further advance autonomous mobility in public transportation.

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Pictures, video or graphics published with the press release may only be used in direct connection with the publication of the press release and only if the source is acknowledged as indicated.

The world’s first autonomous airport bus has been in service in Rotterdam since 2025. (© INIT | Dr. Frank Pagel)

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Thanks to xFlow®, the technical supervision team in Rotterdam has a clear overview of the vehicles at all times and can intervene if necessary. (© Applied Autonomy | Olav Madland)

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Andrea Mohr-Braun

Head of Department Corporate Marketing
INIT worldwide
Phone: +49 721 6100 113
Fax: +49 721 6100 399

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