The autonomous driving minibus produced by WeRide

WeRide, a company based in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (Beijing E-Town) recently announced that its autonomous driving minibus would undergo testing and be put into operation at Zurich Airport in Switzerland.

This is the first commercial airport autonomous driving minibus project in Europe, setting a benchmark for the construction of intelligent transportation systems at airports worldwide.

The WeRide minibus going to Zurich Airport can accommodate up to 9 passengers, supplementing the existing shuttle routes serving employees of various companies in the airport. This service is being introduced to provide a more convenient commuting shuttle service for these employees.

During the initial stage of the project, the WeRide minibus will have an onboard safety staff to monitor the vehicle's stable operation. Based on the vehicle’s performance during this phase, the project will transition to a remote monitoring mode without an onboard staff for fully unmanned operation.

The minibus shuttle service at Zurich Airport is planned to officially begin operating in the first quarter of 2025.

The experience gained by the ZRH Innovation Hub operating this project will help lead the way in further exploring potential applications of autonomous driving technology.

Simultaneously, Zurich Airport is maintaining close communication with several international airports such as Brussels Airport and Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. Using this project as a reference point, they aim to collectively develop innovative solutions in autonomous driving technology. Consequently, WeRide's autonomous driving technology will be better prepared to be put into service at more international airports in the future.