Two automated shuttle buses at Zurich Airport now operate at Level 4 without a safety driver on board, monitored remotely as part of a pilot with WeRide.
Zurich Airport (ZRH) has reached a milestone in its automated-driving pilot, with two shuttle buses now operating fully automated on the airport premises without a safety driver on board. Operators monitor the system from a remote cockpit, and the first fully automated trips took place at the beginning of September.
Zurich Airport is one of the first airports in Europe to reach this stage. Since March 2025, Zurich Airport Ltd. has been working with technology partner WeRide to enable automated driving on the airport grounds. Given the extensive regulations, safety requirements and technical conditions involved, a phased approach was necessary. The latest step corresponds to the targeted automation level, Level 4.
Coralie Klaus Boecker, Head of the ZRH Innovation Hub at Zurich Airport Ltd., said: “We are very pleased with this achievement. The gradual automation of vehicles can make an important contribution for airports given the emerging shortage of skilled workers. For us, it was therefore essential to lay the necessary groundwork early on.”
Remote cockpit takes over monitoring
The vehicles serve as an employee shuttle and operate on a defined route that does not cross aircraft taxiways. The buses complete the journey independently, while employees of partner companies Swissport and Krummen Kerzers monitor operations from the remote cockpit and can intervene to provide support if needed. The former safety drivers have been trained for the new role and will accompany operations remotely.
Raphaël Glaesener, Senior Innovation Manager at Zurich Airport Ltd., said: “Automated driving does not mean that people disappear. But the tasks change. Operations will also become more efficient, because in the future one employee will be able to monitor several buses.”
Over the past year and a half, the two buses have covered more than 15,000 kilometres. Safety processes were developed, and technical and operational procedures were tested. At the start of each new project stage, a test phase without passengers was carried out before employees were permitted to use the shuttle.
The same approach applies to the latest stage, with the first Level 4 trips being carried out without passengers. Glaesener said: “Safety was and remains our top priority at all times. That is why the first Level 4 trips will once again be carried out without passengers. However, we expect that after around four weeks of test operation, employees will be able to use the now fully automated shuttle.”
The two shuttle buses are planned to operate until the end of 2026. A potential continuation of the project with the two vehicles is under review with the project partners. Regardless of that outcome, the findings from the pilot will inform the future use of further automated vehicles at the airport.
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