Renault Tests Autonomous MiniBuses on European Roads

The Renault group is intensifying its efforts towards autonomous public transportation by continuing tests in various European cities. Currently, in collaboration with WeRide, they are evaluating the suitability of an automated electric miniBus. Following a trial operation of two autonomous miniBuses during the Roland-Garros tennis tournament, where they covered over 1,000 kilometers and transported nearly 700 passengers, it’s considered that conditions are now more mature. In Barcelona, two autonomous electric miniBuses successfully completed a 2.2-kilometer circular route through city streets for several days. Meanwhile, Level 4 self-driving buses have been introduced again in Valence, France, where private transit service provider beti, insurer Macif, WeRide, and Renault Group are developing the first automated transport network connecting the TGV train station to multiple businesses within a 162-hectare business park. The 3.3-kilometer route serves specific needs of the TGV station users, as well as 150 companies and their 3,000 employees. Additionally, since January, WeRide has been conducting trials at Zurich Airport in Switzerland to facilitate employee commutes between terminals, proving the capability of autonomous driving technologies to operate efficiently in busy environments while meeting high safety and reliability standards like those required in airports. So far, Renault has been developing Level 2 (L2) and even L2+ driver assistance systems for passenger cars, leaving driving responsibility with the driver. However, for public transportation, they anticipate soon offering Level 4 autonomous vehicles capable of handling driving scenarios within operational design domains, with remote monitoring and control, without requiring a driver.