Although the autonomous shuttle industry has made notable technological strides in recent years, the rollout of these vehicles remains largely restricted to controlled environments such as airports, university campuses, large industrial parks, and gated communities.
These closed-loop settings reduce the complexity of real-world driving and offer safer testbeds for autonomy.
Some autonomous shuttles are being piloted on public roads, but only under strict regulatory conditions imposed by local or national governments. These operations typically require trained safety drivers on board, geo-fencing, and constant remote monitoring.
The broader rollout of fully autonomous shuttles in mixed urban traffic continues to face technical, legal, and public trust challenges.
As of 2025, it remains uncertain whether autonomous vehicles – particularly shuttles designed for public transportation – will gain full approval for general road use in the near term.
Nevertheless, investment continues to flow into the sector, with major automotive manufacturers, tech giants, and startups vying for leadership in this evolving market. Here’s an updated look at the 25 most prominent autonomous shuttle developers in 2025.
Top 25 autonomous shuttle manufacturers
1. Zoox (USA)
Acquired by Amazon in 2020, Zoox is one of the most ambitious developers in this field. Its purpose-built, bi-directional autonomous vehicle is designed specifically for urban passenger transport.
While not yet in commercial deployment, its full autonomy and sleek design have garnered wide attention.
2. Waymo (USA)
Originally a Google project, Waymo is perhaps the most well-known autonomous driving company. While it primarily operates robotaxis, the company is expanding into shuttle-like applications for public transit, leveraging millions of real-world driving miles.
3. Cruise (USA)
Backed by GM, Honda, and Microsoft, Cruise is developing the Origin – a shared autonomous shuttle without a steering wheel or pedals. Though currently in pilot stages, the vehicle is being tested in select US cities.
4. Baidu Apollo (China)
Baidu’s Apollo program has launched autonomous buses called Apolong, produced in partnership with King Long. These shuttles operate in restricted zones in cities like Beijing and Shenzhen.
5. EasyMile (France)
One of the most widely deployed autonomous shuttle makers, EasyMile’s EZ10 operates in business parks, airports, and campuses across 30+ countries. The company emphasizes safety and gradual deployment.
6. Navya (France)
Navya, an early mover in autonomous mobility, manufactures the Autonom Shuttle. It has installations in more than 20 countries and is particularly active in the US and Europe, focusing on smart city initiatives.
7. May Mobility (USA)
Deployed in places like Detroit and Grand Rapids, May Mobility’s self-driving shuttles operate in partnership with local transit authorities. The company aims for full autonomy in urban environments over time.
8. Nuro (USA)
While better known for delivery vehicles, Nuro’s platform could evolve into low-speed shuttle use cases. Backed by SoftBank and other major investors, it focuses on compact, road-legal AVs for logistics and goods transport.
9. Holon (Germany/USA)
Spun out of Benteler, Holon (in partnership with Pininfarina and Mobileye) has created a stylish electric shuttle slated for U.S. production in 2025. It is designed for urban shared mobility.
10. ZF (Germany)
ZF is one of the largest suppliers globally to develop its own autonomous shuttle platform. Its Level 4 shuttle is being developed in partnership with Beep in the U.S. and scheduled for pilot programs in 2025.
11. Toyota e-Palette (Japan)
The e-Palette is Toyota’s vision for autonomous shared mobility. It has seen use at events like the Tokyo Olympics and remains in development for smart city initiatives like Woven City.
12. Local Motors / Olli (USA)
Though Local Motors ceased operations in 2022, the Olli shuttle continues under licensing and tech spinoffs. The electric autonomous shuttle had been tested in campuses and urban pilot zones.
13. AutoX (China)
With a focus on robotaxis, AutoX also develops autonomous platforms adaptable for shuttle service. The company operates without safety drivers in parts of China and is one of the few to do so.
14. WeRide (China)
WeRide’s Mini Robobus targets low-speed urban transit. The company is a leader in China’s AV ecosystem and is expanding into other Asia-Pacific markets.
15. Beep (USA)
Beep operates autonomous shuttle services in several US states. While not a manufacturer, it partners with companies like Navya and Holon to deploy and manage fleets.
16. Schaeffler + VDL Groep (Germany/Netherlands)
This partnership revealed a new autonomous shuttle in 2023, designed for flexible urban transit. It highlights the ongoing integration of mobility and automotive systems expertise.
17. Yutong (China)
Yutong’s Xiaoyu 2.0 is one of the few Level 4 shuttles in active use in China. It can transport 10 passengers and has been operating in Zhengzhou.
18. Milla Group (France)
Milla designs small, modular autonomous shuttles tailored for urban and peri-urban use. The company works with local governments on pilot deployments.
19. 2getthere (Netherlands)
Now part of ZF, 2getthere specializes in automated people movers for airports and business districts. Its systems are well-established in places like Masdar City and Singapore.
20. Optimus Ride (USA)
Once active in Boston and Brooklyn Navy Yard, Optimus Ride was acquired by Magna in 2022. Magna continues to pursue AV shuttle development through this acquisition.
21. Ridecell (USA)
Ridecell’s mobility-as-a-service software platform supports AV shuttle services in partnership with vehicle manufacturers. It focuses on fleet intelligence and automation.
22. Aurrigo (UK)
Known for its Auto-Shuttle, Aurrigo provides AVs for airports and campuses. It has been active in the UK’s autonomous vehicle trials since 2019.
23. Transdev / i-Cristal (France)
Transdev, in partnership with Lohr, developed the i-Cristal, an electric, autonomous shuttle designed for integration into existing public transport networks.
24. Continental + EasyMile (Germany/France)
Continental, the tire and automotive systems giant, has partnered with EasyMile for advanced driverless shuttle development. Their collaborations include shared software platforms.
25. ApolloGo (Pony.ai) (China/USA)
Pony.ai’s ApolloGo platform supports both robotaxis and shuttle-style vehicles. Though primarily based in China, it also runs pilots in California.
A cautious but persistent push toward autonomy
The global effort to roll out autonomous shuttle services is intensifying, but it remains a tightly regulated, slow-moving process.
While innovation is happening on every continent – from European industrial zones to Chinese smart cities and American suburbs – mass adoption is still years away.
Challenges around public trust, regulation, insurance, and road infrastructure persist. However, as autonomous shuttle developers refine their technology and accumulate real-world miles, confidence in this form of transport is gradually growing.
Whether autonomous shuttles will one day operate freely on public roads remains to be seen – but for now, their role in controlled and semi-controlled environments is expanding steadily.
