- 2.2-km autonomous route with four stops in central Barcelona
- 75-mile range per charge, 25 mph top speed
- 10 cameras + 8 lidar sensors for urban navigation
- First European city to test Renault/WeRide collaboration
Barcelona commuters experienced a sci-fi commute this week as Renault’s driverless electric shuttle glided along Passeig de Gracia. Unlike traditional buses, this 12-seater vehicle uses AI-powered obstacle detection to merge lanes and brake for pedestrians without human intervention. City officials confirm zero accidents during the trial period despite chaotic traffic conditions.
The French automaker’s prototype represents Europe’s boldest move yet in autonomous public transit. While San Francisco and Shanghai dominate driverless taxi deployments, Renault strategically chose Barcelona’s dense urban core – where 320,000 daily pedestrians share roads with scooters and delivery trucks – to prove its technology’s readiness. Each vehicle processes 5TB of sensor data hourly to navigate complex scenarios.
Industry analysts note three critical innovations: 1) Integration with existing bus stops minimizes infrastructure costs 2) Modular design allows 20-passenger configurations 3) Over-the-air software updates enable rapid system improvements. Barcelona’s trial follows Zurich Airport’s successful autonomous shuttle program, suggesting a continent-wide strategy to reduce transit emissions by 45% before 2030.
Public reactions captured onboard cameras reveal generational divides. Teenagers like Pau Cugat cheerfully document their rides, while older passengers grip handrails nervously. “It’s like watching your grandma use FaceTime,” laughed Renault engineer Carlos Santos. “But within two stops, even skeptics relax – the system’s smoother than most human drivers.”
As Europe battles China’s BYD and America’s Cruise for autonomous supremacy, Renault plans 18-month trials in five EU capitals. With 92% of participants rating their driverless experience as “safe” in exit surveys, Barcelona’s experiment could accelerate legislation for continent-wide autonomous transit networks by 2026.
