diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/carousel/autoplay-controller.ts b/packages/components/src/components/carousel/autoplay-controller.ts
index 83a4f09f8..7fc6addac 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/carousel/autoplay-controller.ts
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/carousel/autoplay-controller.ts
@@ -70,20 +70,4 @@ export class AutoplayController implements ReactiveController {
       this.host.requestUpdate();
     }
   };
-
-  /**
-   *  Used to manually pause autoplay without disrupting mouse/focus/touch events.
-   */
-  controlledPause = () => {
-    this.paused = true;
-    this.host.requestUpdate();
-  };
-
-  /**
-   *  Used to manually resume autoplay without disrupting mouse/focus/touch events.
-   */
-  controlledResume = () => {
-    this.paused = false;
-    this.host.requestUpdate();
-  };
 }
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.stories.ts b/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.stories.ts
index 201acc306..70503e9e6 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.stories.ts
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.stories.ts
@@ -152,12 +152,14 @@ export const Loop = {
 
 /**
  * Use the `autoplay` attribute to toggle autoplay.
+ *
+ * __Hint:__ Autoplay is automatically paused when the user interacts with the carousel or when the pause button is clicked.
  */
 
 export const Autoplay = {
   render: () => html`
     <div>
-      <sd-carousel autoplay>
+      <sd-carousel autoplay loop>
         <sd-carousel-item>
           <div class="slot slot--border slot--text h-16">Default slot 1</div>
         </sd-carousel-item>
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.test.ts b/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.test.ts
index 84d373d80..241ad110b 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.test.ts
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.test.ts
@@ -661,4 +661,125 @@ describe('<sd-carousel>', () => {
       expect(currentPage).to.equal(5);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('when the user interacts with the carousel', () => {
+    let clock: sinon.SinonFakeTimers;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      clock = sinon.useFakeTimers({
+        now: new Date()
+      });
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      clock.restore();
+    });
+
+    it('should pause the autoplay', async () => {
+      // Arrange
+      const el = await fixture<SdCarousel>(html`
+        <sd-carousel autoplay>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 1</sd-carousel-item>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 2</sd-carousel-item>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 3</sd-carousel-item>
+        </sd-carousel>
+      `);
+      sinon.stub(el, 'next');
+
+      await el.updateComplete;
+
+      // Act
+      el.dispatchEvent(new Event('mouseenter'));
+      await el.updateComplete;
+      clock.next();
+      clock.next();
+
+      // Assert
+      expect(el.next).not.to.have.been.called;
+    });
+
+    it('should not resume if the user is still interacting', async () => {
+      // Arrange
+      const el = await fixture<SdCarousel>(html`
+        <sd-carousel autoplay>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 1</sd-carousel-item>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 2</sd-carousel-item>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 3</sd-carousel-item>
+        </sd-carousel>
+      `);
+      sinon.stub(el, 'next');
+
+      await el.updateComplete;
+
+      // Act
+      el.dispatchEvent(new Event('mouseenter'));
+      el.dispatchEvent(new Event('focusin'));
+      await el.updateComplete;
+
+      el.dispatchEvent(new Event('mouseleave'));
+      await el.updateComplete;
+
+      clock.next();
+      clock.next();
+
+      // Assert
+      expect(el.next).not.to.have.been.called;
+    });
+
+    it('should not resume if the user clicks the pause button', async () => {
+      // Arrange
+      const el = await fixture<SdCarousel>(html`
+        <sd-carousel autoplay>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 1</sd-carousel-item>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 2</sd-carousel-item>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 3</sd-carousel-item>
+        </sd-carousel>
+      `);
+      sinon.stub(el, 'next');
+
+      await el.updateComplete;
+
+      // Act
+      el.autoplayControls.click();
+      await el.updateComplete;
+      clock.next();
+      clock.next();
+
+      // Assert
+      expect(el.next).not.to.have.been.called;
+    });
+
+    it('should resume if the user clicks the resume button', async () => {
+      // Arrange
+      const el = await fixture<SdCarousel>(html`
+        <sd-carousel autoplay>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 1</sd-carousel-item>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 2</sd-carousel-item>
+          <sd-carousel-item>Node 3</sd-carousel-item>
+        </sd-carousel>
+      `);
+      sinon.stub(el, 'next');
+
+      await el.updateComplete;
+
+      // Act
+      el.autoplayControls.click();
+      await el.updateComplete;
+      clock.next();
+      clock.next();
+
+      // Assert
+      expect(el.next).not.to.have.been.called;
+
+      // Act
+
+      el.autoplayControls.click();
+      await el.updateComplete;
+      clock.next();
+      clock.next();
+
+      // Assert
+      expect(el.next).to.have.been.called;
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.ts b/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.ts
index 938fc0793..cdb484b23 100644
--- a/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.ts
+++ b/packages/components/src/components/carousel/carousel.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ import SolidElement from '../../internal/solid-element.js';
  */
 @customElement('sd-carousel')
 export default class SdCarousel extends SolidElement {
+  @query('[part~="autoplay-controls"]') autoplayControls: HTMLElement;
+  @query('[part~="navigation-button--previous"]') previousButton: HTMLButtonElement;
+  @query('[part~="navigation-button--next"]') nextButton: HTMLButtonElement;
+
   /** Determines the counting system for the carousel. */
   @property({ type: String, reflect: true }) variant: 'dot' | 'number' = 'number';
   /** Inverts the carousel */
@@ -251,10 +255,13 @@ export default class SdCarousel extends SolidElement {
   @watch('pausedAutoplay')
   handlePausedAutoplay() {
     if (this.pausedAutoplay) {
-      this.autoplayController.controlledPause();
+      this.autoplayController.stop();
     } else if (this.autoplay) {
-      this.autoplayController.controlledResume();
+      this.autoplayController.start(3000);
     }
+
+    // This is necessary to allow autoplay since focus is not removed when the button is clicked.
+    this.autoplayControls?.blur();
   }
 
   @watch('loop', { waitUntilFirstUpdate: true })
@@ -347,8 +354,6 @@ export default class SdCarousel extends SolidElement {
         slide.style.setProperty('scroll-snap-align', 'none');
       }
     });
-
-    // this.handleScrollEnd();
   }
 
   @watch('autoplay')
@@ -378,6 +383,9 @@ export default class SdCarousel extends SolidElement {
     } else {
       this.goToSlide(previousIndex, behavior);
     }
+
+    // This keeps the carousel from pausing autoplay due to the lingering focus
+    this.previousButton?.blur();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -387,13 +395,18 @@ export default class SdCarousel extends SolidElement {
    */
   next(behavior: ScrollBehavior = 'smooth') {
     if (
-      this.currentPage + 1 > SdCarousel.getPageCount(this.getSlides().length, this.slidesPerPage, this.slidesPerMove) &&
-      this.loop
+      this.currentPage + 1 <=
+      SdCarousel.getPageCount(this.getSlides().length, this.slidesPerPage, this.slidesPerMove)
     ) {
-      this.nextTillFirst(behavior);
-    } else {
       this.goToSlide(this.activeSlide + this.slidesPerMove, behavior);
+    } else {
+      if (this.loop) {
+        this.nextTillFirst(behavior);
+      }
     }
+
+    // This keeps the carousel from pausing autoplay due to the lingering focus
+    this.nextButton?.blur();
   }
 
   nextTillFirst(behavior: ScrollBehavior = 'smooth') {