WeRide Expands European Presence with Autonomous Robobus Shuttle Deployment at Zurich Airport
ZURICH, Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ: WRD), a global leader in autonomous driving technology, today announced the collaboration with Flughafen Zürich AG in a pilot project that aims to deploy its Robobus autonomous shuttle service at the airfield of Zurich Airport.This marks, a significant milestone in bringing autonomous mobility solutions to a major European aviation hub, and building on WeRide's successful European operations, including its recent autonomous shuttle service at Roland-Garros during the 2024 French Open.
The WeRide Robobus, which accommodates nine passengers, will be one of the first autonomous bus shuttle project at a European airport. It will serve airport employees along a dedicated route inside the airport perimeter connecting the employee entrance at gate 101 to the work places at gate 130. Tests will begin in the first quarter of 2025.
Flughafen Zürich AG is in contact with airports in Brussels and Amsterdam that are also testing technologies for autonomous vehicles. Before the start of test Robobus operations, WeRide's autonomous taxi, Robotaxi, completed route mapping at Zurich Airport.
At the foot of the Alps, Zurich Airport presents challenges to autonomous driving technology due to complex operational environment and climatic conditions. WeRide aims to overcame these challenges with its strong technical capabilities and rich implementation experience, providing a mature and reliable solution.
The Zurich Airport service follows the successful deployment in Paris, where Robobus provided efficient shuttle services on a five-kilometer route during the French Open, as part of an ongoing collaboration with Renault Group to promote low-carbon public transportation solutions.
The Robobus pilot project leverages WeRide's advanced autonomous driving technology, which has undergone extensive testing and validation across more than 30 cities in seven countries. The initial phase at Zurich Airport includes a safety driver on board, with the option to transition to remote monitoring operations.
“WeRide possesses a fully developed and thoroughly tested technology, meets all of the legal and safety requirements in place at Zurich Airport and guarantees that it will meet the data protection requirements set out,” Flughafen Zürich AG said in a statement.
Zurich Airport will work with several partners to ensure smooth operation of the service.
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Edmond Lococo
ICR, LLC
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