De Lijn launches pilot project with self-driving shuttles in Leuven
Leuven will host Belgium’s first self-driving shuttle project in regular city traffic, De Lijn announced on Thursday. The autonomous vehicles are currently being tested without passengers, but will begin carrying travellers from mid-November.
The shuttles follow a fixed route from Leuven station to Heverlee. During the current test phase, which began on 10 September, the vehicles are supervised by an onboard steward to guarantee safety in mixed city traffic. From November, the shuttles will carry passengers, up to the end of the project in January 2026.
The project is a collaboration between De Lijn, the City of Leuven, consultancy Espaces Mobilités, and partners from Brussels and Wallonia. It is supported by the EU’s EIT Urban Mobility programme with the aim of building knowledge and training public authorities in autonomous mobility. The total project budget amounts to €600,000.
The shuttles are manufactured by the technology company WeRide. While the project is a first for Belgium, WeRide vehicles are already in commercial use in China and have been successfully tested in cities including Zürich, Valencia, Barcelona and Paris. Equipped with advanced LIDAR technology and HD cameras, they map their surroundings in 3D to safely navigate traffic.
"With this pilot project, we are harnessing the potential of autonomous vehicles to increase road safety, reduce traffic congestion and ease parking pressure," said Flemish Mobility minister Annick De Ridder. "Outside city centres, they can also provide 'last mile' connections and reliable transport to rural areas and for people with limited mobility."
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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