Autonomous Shuttle Buses Achieve Level 3 Autonomy at Zurich Airport: Robotic buses have been upgraded to operate independently in controlled conditions at the Zurich Airport.
The autonomous shuttle bus project at Zurich Airport (ZRH) has commenced, with the goal of reaching automation level 4 and eliminating safety drivers. The project, which began in March 2025, has made significant strides in the past few months.
Hundreds of test runs and comprehensive technical testing have been performed to ensure the safety and efficiency of the autonomous buses. A remote cockpit has been installed and tested at the ZRH Innovation Hub since September, and a new IT infrastructure has been implemented as part of the project.
The remote cockpit will facilitate the monitoring of vehicles going forward, and the project team plans to test the use of remote monitoring for the autonomous shuttle buses in the near future. If successful, the airport at Zurich would be the first in Europe to operate an autonomous system within the flight operations area.
Preparatory work for the project has been carried out with collaborator WeRide and various departments within the company. The testing phase for the autonomous buses will not involve passengers initially, but employees are now allowed to ride the buses between Gate 101 and Gate 130 at the airport.
If the testing phase is successful, the autonomous buses may be permitted to operate autonomously with passengers on board. At present, the current level of automation is level 3, but the project continues to move towards full automation at Zurich Airport.
The autonomous shuttle bus pilot project at Zurich Airport is an exciting development in the field of autonomous vehicles, and it is a significant step towards a more efficient and sustainable future for transportation at airports.
