The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced new partnerships with a set of three autonomous vehicle technology companies to trial electric, self-driving shuttles at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
Taking place throughout Spring 2026; the trial will allow the agency to evaluate options to provide automated connections between EWR’s current facilities and the new AirTrain Newark system, which is currently under construction and set to open in 2030.
Zero-emissions vehicles from each of the three firms will be tested in a separate area of the airport not accessible by the public over a series of two-week periods, with all tests designed to simulate a high-capacity shuttle network utilising multiple vehicles simultaneously.
Units from Oceaneering, Ohmio and Glydways will undergo tests in March, late March and May, respectively. All tests will be used to quality participating firms before they are permitted to respond to a formal Port Authority request for proposals, which is expected to be issued in 2027.
Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole, said:As we advance the redevelopment of Newark Liberty International Airport, we are looking for opportunities to improve our passengers’ time at our airport through unique customer-first experiences as soon as you step onto airport property.
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 customised journey that will be unique to Newark Liberty and tailored to our passengers’ needs.
In 2024, the Port Authority released a request for innovation, inviting proposals from companies that could provide an electric autonomous transportation network. Firms were then asked to respond with how they could service two locations, approximately 2,500 feet apart, over the course of five years.
The evaluation process included scored submissions and interviews with a number of firms, with three selected for tests funded by the Port Authority. Each firm also participated in adverse weather testing earlier this winter to assess vehicle performance in both snow and cold weather conditions.
All tests have been developed to build on several successive years of autonomous vehicle demonstrations conducted at Port Authority airports, including testing in summer 2024 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) that aimed to allow members of the public to ride in autonomous vehicles at JFK’s long-term parking lot 9. Two other previous tests of autonomous platooned vehicles were held at JFK’s Aqueduct Parking Lot in 2022 and 2023, as well as a test of a self-driving shuttle in mixed traffic at Newark Liberty in 2023, and a second in 2024.
