Self-Driving Shuttles Now Making Their Way To Our Airports

Is it happening, are we getting loser to live in a Jetsons world?

Driverless vehicles, or self-driving modes of transportation have been utilized for a number of years in various forms, but a recent announcement has brought attention to an airport that many in the Hudson Valley use for travel pretty regularly.

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Self-Driving Shuttles

I don't know about you, but i've always been a bit apprehensive when it comes to trusting a transportation mode that does not have a human operator. I've watched enough videos on social media to see how things can go really wrong, really fast.

I've seen a few of the Zoox vehicles when i've been in Las Vegas, and read up a lot about Waymo, but never actually been in one.

Now, though, an airport adjacent to the Hudson Valley has announced their plan to test self-driving shuttles, and i'm pretty intrigued about learning more.

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Self-Driving Shuttles Coming to Newark Airport For Testing

In what they're calling a 'glimpse of the future of travel,' Newark Liberty has announced plans to test electric autonomous busses as part of their massive redevelopment and future AirTrain plans.

In an statement from The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the plan is to test the vehicles from three different companies during spring 2026, to 'explore whether automated transit could eventually move passengers between airport facilities and the New AirTrain Newark system' which is currently under construction.

The testing will take place in an area of the airport that is not currently publicly accessible.

Three Self-Driving Shuttle Companies To Test at Newark Liberty

Designed to simulate a 'high-capacity shuttle network,' within the airport environment, the tests will see if the complex setups can handle multiple vehicles operating simultaneously.

In March, Oceaneering vehicles will be tested.

Ohmio vehicles will be tested in late March.

Finally, Glydways will be tested in May.

According to Port Authority's Press Release, 'the tests are intended to qualify participating firms to respond to a formal Port Authority request for proposals, which may be issued in 2027.'

Port Authority Chairman Kevin O'Toole, with regard to the redevelopment of the airport, shared that they are looking for opportunities to improve passengers' time through 'customer-first experiences.'

We have been working with self-driving technology successfully for many years, particularly at the airports, and believe autonomous shuttles offer a safe, efficient solution for moving passengers while we concurrently work to build a new AirTrain Newark and the brand-new Terminal B. These tests this spring will enable us to build on our knowledge and prior experiences working with self-driving shuttles and create a highly customized journey that will be unique to Newark Liberty and tailored to our passengers’ needs.

To learn more about the self-driving testing, and the Newark redevelopment plan, you can access the entire press release here.