Zurich Airport Tests Driverless Buses, Paving the Way for Faster Internal Travel
Zurich Airport is moving forward with a key stage of its autonomous shuttle pilot program, active since March 2025. Since June, employees have been allowed to use the self-driving shuttles to travel between the airport head office at Gate 101 and the works yard at Gate 130. Throughout this stage, a safety driver is present on the shuttles to step in if needed, reflecting the project’s current automation level of three.
Extensive preparations have supported this milestone. The airport, together with technology partner WeRide and several internal departments, has completed key steps to ensure the shuttle program is ready for employee use:
- Development of the IT infrastructure
- Hundreds of test runs
- Comprehensive technical evaluations
- Staff training
- Integration of regulatory requirements
- Optimization of operational processes
The measures taken establish the foundation for the next step, allowing remote monitoring and eventually removing the need for onboard drivers.
Passengers and airport visitors may see indirect benefits from the implementation of autonomous shuttles among staff. Although the shuttles are currently limited to staff use, the technology could in the future improve internal airport transfers, reduce delays, and support smoother operational coordination. Such advancements may help make airport navigation easier and more efficient for travelers in the future.
Remote monitoring has already been tested at the ZRH Innovation Hub since September. From this center, staff can supervise vehicles and provide assistance if obstacles are encountered. The shuttles automatically stop when necessary, and operators can guide maneuvers remotely. At this stage, the shuttles are tested without passengers, allowing the system to be carefully evaluated before it is rolled out to areas accessible to travelers.
“The next milestone we are striving for is automation level 4. This would mean that there will no longer be any safety drivers on the bus, but only remote monitoring will be implemented."
The project is supported by partners including Krummen Kerzers AG, which has supplied safety drivers since the start, and Swissport, which joined in September to provide additional staff for both safety driving and remote monitoring. The vehicles’ autonomous driving systems are supplied by WeRide. Ultimately, this careful, phased approach signals that Zurich Airport is preparing for more efficient ground operations, potentially reducing operational delays and offering smoother internal transport once the system is fully implemented.
