A collection of self-driving shuttles are being tested at Newark Airport to alleviate congestion stemming from the facility’s ongoing redevelopment. Image courtesy Oceaneering.
As part of an ongoing effort to alleviate issues associated with Newark Airport’s ongoing redevelopment, the Port Authority has begun testing a system that will use autonomous shuttles to transport passengers throughout the facility.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is officially partnering with three autonomous vehicle technology companies to test electric self-driving shuttles at Newark Liberty International Airport throughout the spring of 2026. The agency is evaluating options to connect the airport’s facilities to the new AirTrain Newark system currently under construction.
Zero-emissions vehicles from three companies will be tested in an area of the airport that is not publicly accessible during two-week periods. The tests are designed to simulate a high-capacity shuttle network with multiple vehicles operating simultaneously in a complex airport environment.
Tests have already begun with Oceaneering, while a company called Ohmio will be trying out its autonomous shuttles later this month. The final tests from a third company, Glydways, will take place in May.
“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,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “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.”
The Port Authority has been testing self-driving technology since July 2022, when the agency successfully tested autonomous platooning and lane-keeping technology on the Lincoln Tunnel using retrofitted buses in its Exclusive Bus Lane.
The Port Authority is in the midst of a complete redevelopment of Newark Liberty International Airport that began with the 2023 opening of the award-winning Terminal A. Major elements of the redevelopment of Newark Liberty include a new international terminal to replace the current Terminal B, with enhancements coming to the existing Terminal C to improve the customer experience.
The Port Authority’s $3.5 billion project to replace the existing AirTrain Newark began in October 2025 and is scheduled to open in 2030. Its new route will allow easier access to Terminal A, eliminating the current 15-minute walk between the AirTrain station and the terminal.