Although self-driving cars have been tested around the world for years, their road traffic services have yet to gain mainstream acceptance. However, a new self-driving bus service to Rotterdam The Hague Airport may become another milestone in the application of this technology.

RET will start using self-driving buses to transport passengers to Rotterdam The Hague Airport in the Netherlands early next month. The route is a pilot project for the company's ongoing autonomous vehicle development.

After years of testing, DAM Shuttles, in collaboration with RET, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Metropoolregio Rotterdam Den Haag, HTM and the City of Rotterdam, received approval from the National Highway Administration to operate on public roads. The line successfully completed its first trial run last week.

Self-driving cars often struggle to navigate in poor road conditions and unpredictable urban environments. However, the service in Rotterdam will take a relatively simple route from the airport to Meyersplatz metro station.

Since local laws still require that self-driving cars must be driven by a human, employees will prepare and monitor the self-driving system while it is in operation. Separately, RET director Linda Boot played down concerns that self-driving buses could lead to job losses and said the new service addressed a labor shortage, with the company currently hiring hundreds of people each year.

While much of the discussion around autonomous vehicles has focused on self-driving cars and self-driving taxi services, which have suffered setbacks over the years, manufacturers are also trying to deploy self-driving buses. In 2017, Las Vegas became the first U.S. city to allow self-driving buses into public transportation, and Baidu began operating similar vehicles in China the following year.

Buses aren’t the only large vehicles being automated. Aurora Innovation began rolling out self-driving freight trucks in Texas in April this year. Like the Rotterdam bus service, the company chose a relatively safe route between Dallas and Houston.

Meanwhile, Tesla launched a self-driving taxi service in Austin last month. Across the Atlantic, Wayve and Uber recently announced plans to launch a self-driving taxi ride-sharing pilot in London in early 2026; the UK legalized commercial self-driving cars last year.

Similar attempts by Tesla, Cruise and others have been frustrated over the years, mostly due to glitches and safety concerns.