Zurich Airport: Automated shuttle buses now operate without a safety driver on board
Zurich Airport has reached a significant milestone with its pilot project for automated driving. As one of the first airports in Europe, two shuttle buses are now operating fully automated on the airport premises, with no safety driver on board. Monitoring is carried out from a remote cockpit. The first fully automated trips took place beginning of September.
Since March 2025, Zurich Airport Ltd. has been working together with technology partner WeRide to enable automated driving on the airport grounds. Due to the extensive regulations, safety requirements and technical conditions, a phased approach to the deployment of such vehicles is necessary. The step now taken, operation without a safety driver on board and with monitoring from a remote cockpit, corresponds to the targeted automation level, Level 4, without a safety driver in the vehicle.
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. In doing so, we are creating the conditions, not only for ourselves but also for our partners, for the safe deployment of automated vehicles at the airport.
Remote cockpit takes over monitoring
The vehicles deployed as part of the pilot project serve as an employee shuttle and operate on a defined route. Aircraft taxiways are not crossed. The vehicles complete the journey independently. Employees of the partner companies Swissport and Krummen Kerzers in the remote cockpit monitor operations and can intervene to provide support if needed. The former safety drivers have been trained for this new role and will accompany operations remotely going forward.
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
Safety and a step-by-step approach at the centre
Over the past year and a half, the two buses have covered more than 15,000 kilometers. Safety processes were developed, and technical and operational procedures were thoroughly 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.
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.
Findings form the basis for further applications
The operation of the two shuttle buses is planned until the end of 2026. A potential continuation of the innovation project with the two vehicles is currently under review in collaboration with the project partners. Regardless of this, the findings from the pilot project will inform the future use of further automated vehicles.
