As cities worldwide race to become “smart,” one key battleground is transportation—how to move people and goods fluidly, cleanly, and equitably through dense urban landscapes. In that race, Carteav is proving that autonomous low-speed mobility is no longer futuristic rhetoric—it’s real, working, and impactful.
In Ramat Gan National Park, Carteav has rolled out what many are calling a milestone deployment: autonomous electric shuttles operating alongside pedestrians, unlocking new perspectives on smart cities transportation in practice.
(Source: PR Newswire)
Urban Mobility’s Reinvention: Beyond Buses and Bikes
Traditional smart-city transport initiatives often focus on electrified buses, micro-mobility (scooters, bikes), or connected signaling systems. But those still rely heavily on infrastructure, scheduling regimes, and human operation.
Carteav’s approach is different: autonomous, low-speed vehicles that integrate seamlessly into pedestrian and park environments. They fill the “last-mile / middle-mile” gap—transport that’s too long for walking, but where full-size vehicles are overkill or prohibited.
“Smart cities deserve smart movement—mobility that responds to human flow, not traffic models,” says Avinoam Barak, CEO of Carteav.
“Our systems let urban planners embed autonomous transport where it matters most.”
By embedding autonomy into public spaces like parks, campuses, and pedestrian zones, Carteav advances smart cities transportation from concept to lived reality.
The Ramat Gan Showcase: Autonomous Mobility in a Living Park
Ramat Gan National Park is Israel’s second-largest green public space, drawing thousands of visitors daily. Its mix of walking paths, green spaces, cyclists, and open areas made it a testbed—and now a benchmark—for urban-scale autonomous transit.
(Source: PR Newswire)
- The vehicles follow a fixed-route shuttle model with designated stops, enabling visitors—especially those with mobility constraints—to traverse long paths comfortably.
- These autonomous units share space with pedestrians and cyclists, demonstrating safe coexistence in mixed-use environments.
- As adoption grows, the system is designed to evolve into flexible on-demand service, shifting from fixed routes to responsive, user-initiated rides.
For municipal planners, the message is bold: this isn’t just a pilot—it’s proof that smart cities transportation doesn’t require dramatic infrastructure overhauls. It needs the right technology.
What Ramat Gan Teaches Smart Cities Globally
From this deployment, several lessons emerge—relevant to cities, property developers, universities, and agencies building next-generation mobility networks:
- Layered autonomy works in real life. Carteav’s system combines sensor fusion, AI navigation, and GPS-free localization to operate in complex, pedestrian-rich zones. Its reliability in Ramat Gan shows the technology is mature, not speculative.
- Phased deployment avoids disruption. Starting with fixed-route shuttles keeps operations simple. Transitioning to demand-responsive modes gives flexibility later.
- Safety and public integration are essential. Operating amid walkers, cyclists, and families sets a high bar. Carteav’s success proves autonomous systems can blend into civic life.
- Smart cities need modular mobility tools. Rather than rebuilding transit systems, Carteav offers a modular layer that complements existing infrastructure.
- Data-driven planning becomes possible. Every trip generates analytics that help cities design smarter routes, reduce congestion, and improve accessibility.
When municipalities adopt systems like Carteav’s, transport becomes part of the city’s intelligence infrastructure, not a rigid overlay.
From Vision to Scale: Smart Cities Transportation with Carteav
Carteav’s ambitions extend beyond parks. Its technology is designed for urban districts, campuses, resorts, and mixed-use precincts—where compact, autonomous fleets can connect people, reduce emissions, and simplify daily movement.
Cities and organizations can leverage Carteav’s framework in multiple ways:
- Integrate with existing public transport as a last-mile connector.
- Deploy in pedestrian-only zones to ensure accessibility for all users.
- Offer mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) through unified digital platforms.
- Analyze fleet data to improve urban design and crowd management.
- Scale deployments gradually across multiple neighborhoods.
“Our Ramat Gan deployment is more than mobility—it’s proof that smart cities can adopt autonomy safely and citizen-first,” says Eli Doron, COO of Carteav. “From here, every city with ambition can embrace autonomous transport on its terms.”
Smart Cities Transportation: The Road Ahead
The Ramat Gan deployment demonstrates how autonomous, low-speed electric vehicles can be integrated seamlessly into urban life—improving safety, sustainability, and accessibility without major infrastructure changes.
For municipalities and planners, it offers a blueprint: start small, prioritize citizens, collect data, and scale with confidence.
Carteav’s model proves that the path to smarter cities isn’t just about digital sensors or AI dashboards—it’s about movement.
Autonomous mobility, deployed thoughtfully, is how smart cities come alive.