Autonomous driving technology firm WeRide has launched its robobus service in Leuven, Belgium, marking its eleventh global market and expanding its European footprint.
The initiative is supported by Flemish public transportation firm De Lijn, the City of Leuven, and Espaces-Mobilités, a mobility consultancy firm.
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The robobus will begin mapping downtown Leuven, connecting the route from Leuven Station to Heverlee.
Public road testing is slated for mid-September, with a safety officer present during initial phases.
Subject to successful testing and clearance from the Public Department of Mobility and Transport, De Lijn aims to operate a pilot autonomous shuttle service on the same route.
This pilot is expected to start in mid-November and continue until the end of January 2026, representing the country’s inaugural commercial use of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in mixed-traffic environments.
Passengers will be able to access the service using digital tickets available through SMS, an app, or their existing subscriptions.
Should the trial prove successful, the shuttles are anticipated to become a regular feature in Leuven’s public transport offerings.
The service is designed to enhance first- and last-mile connectivity and integrate autonomous vehicles into the city’s transit infrastructure.
Ahead of the robobus introduction, Espaces-Mobilités and De Lijn engaged in an extensive 12-month training initiative focused on autonomous mobility.
The programme comprised a series of technical workshops and a field trip to WeRide’s headquarters in Guangzhou, China.
The pilot project has garnered support from EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Union focused on fostering sustainable mobility solutions through collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors.
WeRide International head and CFO Jennifer Li said: “We’re pleased to partner with De Lijn, Espaces-Mobilités, and the City of Leuven, which have shown strong support for autonomous mobility, as we work to scale autonomous driving services across Europe, with the goal of achieving fully driverless operations.”
The company recently launched its first robotaxi service in Furttal, Switzerland, and earlier this year, it introduced Europe’s first fully driverless commercial robobus service in Valence, France.
Recently, WeRide has started the world’s first 24-hour fully driverless ride-hailing service with its Robotaxi GXR in Guangzhou, China.
