Autonomous Driving Robo Buses Revolutionize Public Transport

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Asia Waypoint

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While everyone is talking about the robo-taxi, the robo-bus is secretly revolutionizing the world of mobility. From Belgium to Japan, from China to Switzerland, autonomous buses are already rolling through city traffic everywhere. Bus drivers are expensive, the Robobus is cheaper and just as safe.

A Robobus has been operating on bus route 16 in Leuven near Brussels since last week. It runs from the central station to Heverlee and back. There is no longer a driver on board. Inside, it is airy, spacious and modern. This is no longer a pilot project. This Belgian Robobus is in regular commercial service - one of the first in Europe. This makes the Belgians pioneers, but they will certainly not be alone for long.

The business case for robo-buses is as clear as a freshly cleaned windshield. Wages usually account for more than half of the operating costs of public transport companies in Europe. More and more bus drivers are retiring. Looking ahead, it will become increasingly difficult to find new recruits in the coming years. "Europe is an important market for autonomous vehicles with strong public investment and clear commercialization paths," explains Jennifer Li, CFO and Head of International Business at WeRide. The Chinese manufacturer builds both robotaxis and robobuses. It is currently having more success with driverless buses.

Robobuses Outperform Robotaxis

In France, Switzerland and Spain, in Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore - WeRide's robot buses are already in operation in a total of eleven countries, while the company is still waiting for the big breakthrough with its robotaxis.

BYD won the first major robo-bus tender in Singapore in October. In addition, the small robobuses from Chinese manufacturer Pix Moving, i.e. the Guizhou Hankai Intelligent Technology Company, Ltd. from Guiyang in southwest China, are already on the road in 30 countries around the world. The company is particularly successful in Japan.

Overall, a revolution in urban mobility is currently taking place on a global scale, but many media outlets have barely acknowledged it. Somehow, robotaxis are considered sexy in San Francisco; square buses on the outskirts of Shanghai are not. "While public attention continues to focus on the loss-making, money-burning robotaxis, a long underestimated trillion-yuan market is quietly emerging," writes the Chinese technology portal Zhijia Zuiqianyan.

Robotaxis are of course also making progress. There are pilot projects around the world, often also involving WeRide and other Chinese manufacturers. At the moment, however, robo-buses have clearly overtaken driverless cabs.

The Market for Robobuses is Growing

The global market for autonomous city buses is expected to grow from around $268 Billion last year to around $430 Billion in 2032, according to a forecast by Fortune Business Insights. Before the Chinese robo-buses were able to expand into so many global markets, they patiently tested the technology at home in China. The ministries in Beijing have been working on the regulatory basis for years, and provinces and cities across the country have started pilot projects.

It all started with the first autonomous buses for tourists. When there were no significant accidents, the first robot buses were driven on test routes in the Beijing technology suburb of Yizhuang and through the Jiading district in Shanghai.

Robobuses have been in regular use in more than ten Chinese provinces since the second half of 2025. What is still new for Europe is not yet part of everyday life in China, but hardly anyone is taking a selfie with their cell phone. Robobuses have become part of everyday life. This pioneering spirit in the electrification of local public transport and the early courage to embrace autonomous driving are now paying off for Chinese manufacturers of robo-buses.

Progress as a Necessity

It's as if all the pieces of a big puzzle suddenly fit together: The technology is mature enough. The industrial supply chains for e-mobility are mature. The ageing of many societies is exacerbating the labor shortage. At the same time, more and more people are looking for clean air to breathe in the center of their cities. (se)

Study by Deutsche Bahn

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