Jakarta. Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi announced that the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART), an electric-powered, driverless transportation system, will be operational in Bali and Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) in North Jakarta and the Tangerang area. Currently, ART is undergoing trial runs in Indonesia's new capital, Nusantara (IKN).

"I heard that PIK has already ordered the ART system," Budi Karya said during the Jakarta Globe Forum at Hotel Mulia in South Jakarta on Friday.

Budi did not provide a timeline for the ART implementation in PIK, a coastal development by Agung Sedayu and Salim Group.

Following the trials in Nusantara, Bali is slated to be the next region to implement ART. Budi noted that areas like Kuta, a popular tourist destination in Bali, frequently suffer from heavy traffic congestion. He hoped that ART would alleviate these issues while enhancing Bali’s tourism infrastructure.

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“The ART bus is currently being tested in IKN to ensure smooth operations. If successful, we are considering implementing it in Bali, particularly in congested areas like Kuta. ART could help resolve traffic jams there,” Budi explained.

He also highlighted that ART offers a cost-effective solution compared to other transit systems, as it doesn’t require extensive infrastructure like railway tracks. "It’s relatively inexpensive because it doesn’t need rails; it operates like a bus on batteries, making it highly flexible," he added.

The government anticipates that ART will provide an eco-friendly solution to traffic problems in densely populated areas such as Bali and emerging regions like PIK.

Recently, President Joko Widodo tested the China-made ART system in Nusantara. Despite its name, the ART does not run on physical tracks but instead follows road markings and magnets for navigation, making it a more affordable alternative to Jakarta's MRT and LRT systems, which both rely on rails. Jokowi revealed that a single ART train set costs approximately Rp 70 billion (around $4.5 million).

In addition to ART, Bali is planning to construct a subway linking Ngurah Rai International Airport to key tourist destinations such as Kuta, Ubud, and Canggu.