Autonomous vehicles for public transportation: the growing interest of local authorities and mobility operators in Renault Group’s approach

In May 2024, Renault Group unveiled its autonomous vehicle strategy and launched, for the very first time in Europe, with its partner WeRide, an open-road experimentation, with two autonomous miniBuses running during the Roland-Garros tennis international.

With 1,000 km covered and nearly 700 people transported, this first full-scale test demonstrated the maturity of the technology as well as the relevance of this passenger transport solution.

Following this successful experimentation, many mobility players (local authorities, transport operators, private site managers, etc.) have shown their interest in operating this solution in their territories. New experimentations are already underway across Europe, such as in Zurich (Switzerland), Valencia (France) and Barcelona (Spain). Several more will be announced very soon.

Barcelona (Spain): in the heart of a major European city
From 10 to 14 March, Renault Group and WeRide are allowing the general public to discover, today, the urban mobility of tomorrow, with two autonomous electric miniBuses on a 2.2-kilometre open road loop in the heart of the streets of Barcelona.

By developing autonomous shuttles in a dense and complex urban environment, the experimentation demonstrates the maturity of new technologies for automated public transport services. 

It also expresses Renault Group’s vision of the future challenges of public transport in Europe: autonomous mobility as a means of making cities more liveable, transport more accessible and mobility more efficient and more sustainable.

Valence (France): mobility made easier for peri-urban areas
After an experimentation from 10 March to 19 April, the implementation of a commercial service of level 4 automated shuttles is targeted from July 2025.

beti (French private public transport operator), Macif (insurer of the vehicles and beti’s partner), WeRide and Renault Group are deploying the first automated mobility network with a high level of service in Valence (France) to connect a TGV railway station to the many players in the 162-hectare business park that surrounds it.

The 3.3-kilometre open road route of the two shuttles meets the concrete needs of users of the Valence TGV station, as well as the 150 companies and their 3,000 employees, by serving the station, the remote long-term car park and the catering hub of the business park.

Through this unprecedented collaboration between 4 major players, the same vision is materialised: that of shared automated mobility at the service of all territories, which makes it possible to open rural and peri-urban areas, to accelerate the ecological transition and to facilitate the mobility of populations for better access to employment, health, education, leisure…

Zurich Airport (Switzerland): private area with high security requirements
The experimentation conducted by WeRide at Zurich Airport (Switzerland) since January 2025 aims to make it easier for employees to travel between terminals. It thus demonstrates the ability of autonomous technologies to operate in complex environments and meet the high requirements of safety and reliability such as that of an airport.

Renault Group and the autonomous vehicle
Renault Group is taking a pragmatic and differentiated approach to autonomous vehicles, initially distinguishing the needs of individual vehicles and those of public transportation.

For individual vehicles, in the current market conditions, the Group is focusing on market-leading Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) (Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Systems). These L2 or even L2+ level assistance systems improve safety and comfort while leaving the driver responsible for driving.

However, Renault Group has made agility a priority, and remains attentive to developments, particularly in terms of cost and regulations, and will be able to offer solutions for the individual vehicle with higher levels of autonomy when market conditions are right.

For public transportation, Renault Group sees a relevance in offering L4 autonomous vehicles in the short term, i.e. capable of managing driving situations on their own, in Operational Design Domain, with remote supervision, but without an operator on board. Faced with the rise of low-emission zones, cities and local authorities will have unprecedented challenges in terms of public transportation. It is estimated that several thousand autonomous electric miniBuses will be needed in the coming decade. Capable of managing driving situations on their own in an Operational Design Domain, autonomous miniBuses have demonstrated their effectiveness through various experimentations, opening prospects for a flexible, accessible, secure and carbon-free offer.

As a pioneer in carbon-free mobility, Renault Group is considering offering a robotised electric miniBus platform by 2030, capable of integrating automation solutions from specialized partners.