Leuven launches Belgium’s first autonomous public transport shuttles
Since September 2025, Leuven has been home to Belgium’s first real-world deployment of autonomous public transport in complex urban traffic.
The route of Line 16 — Credits: DeLijn
The project, a collaboration between De Lijn, the City of Leuven, and Espaces-Mobilités, with support from EIT Urban Mobility, began with engineers programming and mapping the city’s intricate streets. After months of testing, the shuttles opened to passengers on 22 January 2026, offering a truly unique ride—no need to press a bell for stops, mandatory seatbelts for a total of eight seats, and digital-only ticketing via app or SMS.
The shuttles exclusively operate in the afternoons as Line 16, connecting Leuven Station to Heverlee, a 4-kilometre loop chosen for its relevance to students and commuters.
The technology that makes these shuttles move
The shuttles, supplied by WeRide, a Chinese provider, are equipped with a Level 4 autonomous driving system: this means they can operate without human intervention in defined areas, though a safety officer remains onboard during the pilot phase. Indeed, Belgian and EU regulations require a safety officer onboard during operation—at least for the time being.
The robobus requires a safety officer onboard during operation — Credits: POLIS
Each shuttle relies on a multi-sensor fusion system:
- Lidar for high-resolution 3D mapping and obstacle detection;
- Radar to track moving objects, even in poor weather;
- High-definition cameras for real-time visual input and traffic sign recognition;
- GPS/IMU for precise localisation, cross-referenced with pre-mapped routes.
These sensors feed data into WeRide’s proprietary AI platform, which processes the environment, predicts traffic behaviour, and makes driving decisions in real time.
A matter of mapping (and a bunch of other things!)
Before passenger service began, engineers conducted centimetre-level HD mapping of Leuven’s city centre. The shuttles continuously compare live sensor data with these maps, enabling accurate positioning and safe navigation—even in complex scenarios like pedestrian crossings and cyclist interactions.
Moreover, the shuttles use V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) communication to interact with traffic lights and infrastructure, enhancing safety and efficiency.
A living lab for autonomous mobility
The WeRide robobus in Leuven — Credits: POLIS
The pilot, running until at least 2027, functions as a living lab for autonomous mobility, with plans to expand and refine the service. Wheelchair accessibility is not yet available, and in complex situations—such as encountering an unexpected obstacle with oncoming traffic—the shuttles respond differently than a human driver, dynamically recalculating their trajectory and proceeding along a safe path while prioritising collision avoidance through real-time perception and predictive traffic modelling rather than yielding.
Data collected will inform AI training for such complex traffic scenarios, guide improvements in public acceptance and user experience, and support policy frameworks for autonomous public transport across Belgium and Europe. The project has already undergone rigorous risk assessments and received approval from the Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport, setting a precedent for future deployments.
The objectives are ambitious: reduce congestion, enhance road safety, and improve last-mile connections. Autonomous shuttles could eventually fill gaps in rural transport and expand options for passengers with limited mobility. For now, the focus is on learning by assessing technology performance, passenger behaviour, and how cities can prepare for a driverless future.
