Netherlands Launching Self-driving Airport Bus

Starting Friday, August 1, 2025, nan Netherlands will rotation retired its first self-driving nationalist bus, shuttling passengers from Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM) to Meijersplein Metro Station.

Described arsenic nan world’s first autonomous airdrome autobus operation, nan aviator programme will initially run pinch a quality driver still connected board, owed to Dutch laws requiring a information operator.

Despite being self-driving, nan autobus will still person a trained driver coming during early operations. This is because, arsenic RET spokesperson Tessa Dronzek told section media, “the existent laws and regulations do not yet let self-driving vehicles connected nationalist roads that do not person personification successful them who tin intervene if necessary.”

However, nan semipermanent extremity is afloat autonomy, arsenic much testing is completed and laws evolve.

The vehicles being utilized are Karsan’s autonomous e-ATAK buses, equipped pinch LiDAR sensors, radar, RGB and thermal cameras, and precocious image processing for precise navigation and information monitoring.

According to Karsan CEO Okan Baş, “this task intelligibly shows that autonomous mobility is nary longer conscionable a imagination of nan future, but a actual proscription solution of today” (Airport Industry News).

e-ATAK self-driving buses

Before nan nationalist trial, nan e-ATAK buses underwent extended operational and functional information tests and received afloat support from nan RDW (Dutch Vehicle Authority).

The way – chosen for its simplicity and debased postulation complexity – was declared fresh for autonomous tests by nan National Road Administration, according to Rotterdam The Hague Airport.

RET Director Linda Boot addressed concerns complete imaginable occupation losses, stating: “We are presently hiring hundreds of group a year. That shortage won’t alteration successful nan future. We really request this to lick a problem.” (Cited by Euronews).

So, while robot buses aren’t yet afloat replacing quality drivers, this marks a awesome leap for public transport successful Europe.

Would you spot a driverless autobus to get you to nan airdrome connected time?

View each news from nan Netherlands.