Zurich airport starts Level 4 driverless shuttle service

Zurich airport in Switzerland has started operating Level 4 autonomous electric shuttle buses, which drive themselves without a driver or onboard safety officer. The vehicles operate within the airport, with a remote control center monitoring their activities in real time. The project, initiated in March, has progressed through stages, starting with a safety driver, then moving the safety officer to the back seat, and increasing remote monitoring. The two vehicles have already driven over 15,000 km to validate technical and operational procedures. The airport considers this method to be Level 4 automation, as it allows the vehicle to handle most driving tasks autonomously.

• The pilot operation will continue until the end of this year, and the airport will review whether to expand the scope of automated vehicle deployment based on the results.
• Zurich airport aims to address a shortage of skilled workers and improve operational efficiency through automation.
• The first Level 4 trial will be conducted without passengers, and employees are expected to be able to ride the shuttles again after about four weeks of testing.

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