Self-Driving Shuttle Launching at Zurich AirportSelf-Driving Shuttle Launching at Zurich Airport

Autonomous driving company WeRide has launched what is believed to be Europe’s first commercial autonomous bus service at an airport.

The airport is Zurich, in Switzerland, and the shuttle is the Chinese firm’s self-driving Robobus, which can accommodate nine passengers.

Zurich Airport is the largest in Switzerland and in 2023 was the 18^th busiest in Europe, serving just under 29 million passengers. The new service, which is scheduled to begin before the end of March, will ferry employees along a predetermined route between gate 101 and a maintenance area at gate 130.

To prepare for the launch, WeRide said it mapped the facility extensively using its Robotaxi, which is also likely to be deployed in the future in the Alpine state.

The specific route has been chosen because it is clearly separated from flight operations, and does not cross any airplane taxiways, making it an ideal place to use an autonomous vehicle (AV) for the first time.

While it will not have to negotiate around jets, the Robobus will have to cope with narrow lanes, high pedestrian traffic and a large number of randomly parked vehicles. Other traffic is likely to include tow trucks, mobile boarding bridge vehicles and snow removal vehicles.

The airport’s location at the foot of the Alps also brings some specific challenges, particularly the potential for rapidly changing weather, including bright sunshine, rain, snow and high winds all in one day. 

Related:Self-Driving Buses Testing at Amsterdam Airport

But WeRide said the Robobus is able to operate in all conditions, and initially there will be a safety driver on board to oversee progress, although the plan is to transition to a fully driverless service, which will be monitored remotely from a hub at the airport.

For Zurich Airport, or Flughafen Zürich AG as it is known locally, the service is a first opportunity to try automated driving technology, which it is keen to introduce on a more widespread basis. To that end, it is already liaising with Amsterdam Airport in the Netherlands and Brussels Airport in Belgium, both of which have launched AV trials.

Meanwhile, WeRide plans to build its presence in Europe, so the Zurich program represents a major step forward following a shuttle pilot at the French Open tennis with Renault last year.

As well as its operations in China, the company has made a number of moves to expand its global footprint in the past 12 months, launching a self-driving taxi service with Uber in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, and putting the Robobus into service in tourist areas of Singapore.

Related:Autonomous Shuttle Pilot Program Launches at Brussels Airport

WeRide said its technology has been tested and validated in 30 cities in seven countries.